BOYS LIVING WITHOUT BIOLOGICAL FATHERS AT GREATER RISK 

Sexual abuse of boys can leave boys with psychological trauma that compromises a boy’s confidence in adults. It is more common than most of us would like to believe, but:

• underrepported
• underrecognized
• undertreated

SEXUAL ABUSE AND ACTING OUT 

Many face complications such as reduced quality of life, impaired social relationships, less than optimal daily functioning, and self destructive behavior. Boys may use destructive coping strategies which may include:

• being the angry avenger
• the passive victim
• the rescuer
• the daredevil
• the conformist
• or may plan a suicide

WHEN DADDY’S NOT HOME 

Those at risk tended to younger than 13 years and not living with their biological fathers.

• perpetrators were known unrelated males
• the abuse frequently occurred outside the home and more than once
• boys experienced a host of sexually related problems

EARLY DETECTION IS CRUCIAL 

Health care professionals must be more aware of and sensitive to the possibility of sexual abuse in males. Early detection and treatment is crucial. Boys are less likely than girls to report sexual abuse because of:

• fear of retribution
• social stigma against homosexual behavior
• the desire to appear self-reliant
• and the concern of loss of independence after disclosure

SEXUAL ABUSE AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

In a national telephone survey of men in the U.S. and Canada 16% (U.S) and 7% (Canada) respectively reported a sexual abuse history.

• 39 % of sexually offending juveniles males reported histories of sexual abuse
• Runaway adolescent boys were 4 times more likely to have been sexually abused

RISK FACTORS

• parental divorce
• parental seperation
• remarriage
• parental substance abuse (alcohol and drugs)
• parental criminal behavior

INTERGENERATIONAL SEXUAL ABUSE

• Sexually abused boys were 15 times more likely than non abused boys to have family members who had also been sexually and physically abused

SEXUAL ABUSE AND DRUG ABUSE 

• These boys were more likely by age 10 to use marijuana and other drugs compared to nonabused boys.

SEXUAL ABUSE AND DISABILITY 

• Disabled boys were also more frequently abused than non disabled boys

SEXUAL ABUSE AND MENTAL ILLNESS

• 40% of male psychiatric inpatients and outpatients  were sexually abused

PERPS ARE NOT HOMOSEXUAL MALES

• 98% of perpetrators identified themselves as heterosexual males

MALE PROSTIUTION AND PROMISCUITY 

• Sexually abused boys also reported more high-risk sexual behaviors such as prostitution and unprotected sex
• They had more lifetime sexual partners
• They had a higher rate of sexual transmitted diseases (STDs)
• They also had a higher rate of unplanned partner pregnancy

TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE INFECTED WITH HIV

• Several studies reported that abused compared to non abused men had up a 2-fold increase in the rate of HIV infection

CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE 

• Sexually abused males are less likely to speak about their experience
• The silence includes wanting to forget the event, wanting to protect the perpertrator, and fearing the reaction of those who were told
• Victims also felt pressured, threatened and rejected after the disclosure; experienced parental rejection, blame and punishment and regretted ever telling anyone

EARLY DETECTION TRAINING IMPERATIVE

• Health care professionals, clinicians, nurses, doctors, social workers, pscyhologists, substance abuse professionals, and others who work with boys must be trained in early detection of these cases, and intervention

BEST PRACTICES

• Recognition, reporting, evaluation and treatment of boys must begin now
• Stopping the sexual abuse of boys also stops the creation of more young victims and older perpertrators (sexually abused boys turn into male sexual offenders)

Sexual abuse in childhood can disable self-esteem, self-concept, relationships and the ability to trust but it can also turn into sexual aggression, deviant sexual fantasy and sexual victimization of others.

Researchers: Sharon M. Valente RN, PHD. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing (V. 18, Page 10, Jan. 2005) and William Holmes, MD. Journal of the American Medical Association, ( JAMA) V. 280. N. 21. Dec. 1998).