Many male responses and long term effects of childhood sexual abuse are similar to those experienced by women and girls i.e. guilt, shame, anger, self-concept disturbance, somatic complaints, however male survivors may be even more likely than females to avoid treatment or disclosure and to minimize their abuse experience. Males will often present with behavioural (e.g. negative consequences of aggression), rather than emotionally expressive (e.g. complaints of depression), issues. A 'disguised' presentation may include exaggerated masculine or 'macho' behaviours, difficulties with intimacy with males, sexual identity confusion, aggressive or controlling behaviours, and compulsive behaviours.
The symptom patterns of male survivors may be affected by socialization factors specific to gender and victimization. Struve (1990) has identified nine factors that may have an impact on the presentation of the male survivor. These nine factors are:
1. Reluctance to seek treatment due to the beliefs that men are not victims and, if they are, that they are less traumatized by the victimizing experience than are females;
2. Minimization of the experience of victimization due to the belief that sexual activity with an older woman is a privilege and that victimization by a male reflects one's own sexual orientation
3. Shame-based personality dynamics based on one's perceived failure to protect oneself or to achieve appropriate revenge against the offender;
4. Exaggerated efforts to reassert masculine identity in an attempt to compensate for the failure to protect oneself;
5. Difficulties with male identity resulting in the avoidance of any behaviours perceived as feminine,' including emotional intimacy with other males;
6. Confusion about sexual identity due to one's perceived passivity or sexual arousal experienced during same-sex abuse;
7. Behaviour patterns with power/control dynamics due to attempts to overcompensate for the powerlessness experienced during the abuse;
8. Externalisation of feelings due to social prescriptions that males can act on, but not express, their feelings;
9. Vulnerability to compulsive behaviours due to attempts to deny feelings by excessive involvement with 'product- and task-oriented activities' (1990: 38).
(Lionel Richie - "Truely")
