Citation

Malinen KA, VanTassel B, Kennedy K, Macleod E, O'Rourke K. J. Mens Stud. 2023; 31(3): 371-395.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Men's Studies Press)

DOI

10.1177/10608265231182100

PMID

37693227

PMCID

PMC10491483

Abstract

Culture and Perspectives on Sexual Assault Policy was a qualitative, focus-group study conducted at four Canadian universities to gather culturally diverse student perspectives on university sexual violence or sexual assault policies and services. This article highlights two categories of dialectical tension expressed during several male focus groups. The Wrongful Blame Dialectic involved tension between anxieties about wrongful accusations and opposition to victim-blaming. Perceived risk of wrongful accusations was often linked to racism or ethnocentrism. The Male Victim Denial/Recognition Dialectic involved tension between denial and recognition of male sexual victimization. Male participants felt more vulnerable to wrongful accusation than to sexual violence. They felt more likely to be blamed and disbelieved, whether as respondents or complainants.

Language: en

Keywords

cultural diversity; dialectics; false allegations; male victims; sexual violence policy