JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Sexual assault is an offense typically associated with female victims, but men can also fall prey to these brutal attacks.
The Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military for Fiscal Year 2016 showed male victims made about 20 percent of the 6,172 reports of sexual assault during the time period of Oct. 1, 2015-Sept. 30, 2016.
Although women in the military are more at-risk for sexual assault on a per-capita basis, the actual number of male military members who are sexually assaulted may be even greater than the number of female victims since men are even less likely than women to report the crime, said Allen Blair, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.
“Men in general are reluctant to report being a victim of sexual assault for many different reasons,” he said. “Male survivors are aware there is a belief in society that men don’t get raped. This stems from the idea that men always want sex and that they should be strong enough to prevent a sexual assault. Some men don’t consider what happened to them as sexual assault.”
Wearing the “male mask” prevents men from reporting such abuses, Blair said.
“The male mask is a front or a façade of what it means to be a ‘real man,’” he said. “As boys, many men were taught not to cry because it was a sign of weakness. Men are also taught to be tough and to take charge. When this behavior becomes the definition of being a man, then males try to aspire to fit the mold.”
Sexual assault threatens this image of masculinity, Blair said.
“Sometimes men feel like they are less than a man because they ‘allowed’ this to happen to them, so they refuse to make a report,” he said. “They may also think people will question their sexual orientation if they find out they were sexually assaulted by another man.”
However, Blair said there is an upward trend of male service members reporting assaults.
“We are having more men report each year,” he said. “I’m not sure if the sexual assault of men in the military is a growing problem, but I can say more men are coming forward to file a report. It could mean they are more trusting of the system.”
Although men are even more reluctant than women to report sexual assaults, they have similar reactions to those assaults, Blair said.
“Men have some of the same reactions to sexual assault as women, like self-blame, confusion, anxiety, fear, depression and shame,” he said. “Men sometimes try to minimize the severity of the assault.”
Blair said men who have been sexually assaulted should not blame themselves or feel alone; they should seek help because it is there for them.
“In the past, the Air Force did not offer programs specifically for male victims; assistance offered was for male and female victims,” he said. “However, DOD has taken on an initiative to truly focus on male sexual assault victims and has created an online chatroom – safehelproom.org – specifically for male survivors. It is anonymous and gives male victims a way to connect with other men who have gone through similar experiences.”
Resources are also available in the civilian community, Blair said, pointing to the San Antonio community’s Rape Crisis Center, which offers free counseling for men, women and children.
“They also have group meetings specifically for men to be able to talk about their experiences among other men who have also been sexually assaulted,” he said.
To report a sexual assault, call the JBSA Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Hotline at 210-808-7272 or the DOD Safe Helpline at 1-877-995-5247.