Citation

Stermac LE, Sheridan PM, Davidson A, Dunn S. J. Interpers. Violence 1996; 11(1): 52-64.

Affiliation

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Women's College Hospital; York University

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/088626096011001004

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The circumstances and characteristics of sexual assaults against adult males presenting to a crisis unit in a large metropolitan area were examined. Twenty-nine men, ranging in age from 18 to 65, who were victims of sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults, were seen over a 16-month period. Information extracted from the unit database included client demographics and personal history, assault characteristics, and presentation information. Twenty-five (86%) of the reported assaults involved male perpetrators, one involved a single female perpetrator, and two involved both male and female perpetrators. Half the male-male assaults and all the female-male assaults were acquaintance sexual assaults. Only a minority of the stranger assaults were suggestive of antigay violence. Most victims were young gay men, many of whom had physical or cognitive disabilities making them particularly vulnerable. The results suggest a need for increased awareness of acquaintance sexual assault in adult males.