THE FORBIDDEN TRUTH: RETHINKING NARRATIVES ON MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT

Abstract

There is much research and growing attention on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including rape against men and boys. There is substantial evidence indicating that sexual violence against men is common in most armed conflicts. Most of the research tends to focus on the prevalence and long and short-term impacts of sexual violence perpetrated against men during armed conflicts in different countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, and Darfur. There is a need for a more in-depth understanding of male victims’ experiences in a holistic sense. Concepts such as resilience, courage, and connectivity are mainly overlooked, even though there are vehicles for growth and development. However, there are fundamental obstacles that male victims of SGBV are still facing, such as the lack of proper terminology to describe their experience. The current article sheds light on male victims conflicting feelings and struggles to conceptualize their sexual victimization experience as rape. Specifically, the article will explore the impact of lack of disclosure, minimization, and lack of proper terminology on the processing, healing, and recovery journey. The participants involved were male victims who endured sexual violence during the conflict in the Eastern region of Congo. Semi structured interviews were carried out to explore the core aspects of their experiences of sexual victimization in relation to the esteemed concepts of masculinity. Consistent with previous research, findings show that male victims understand the word rape. Nevertheless, they find it challenging to employ the term rape to characterize their experiences of sexual victimization, as the term is predominantly linked to acts of sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls. Furthermore, victimhood is primarily incompatible with the dominant masculine script.