Abstract
Despite the increased attention the subject of child sexual abuse has received in recent years, rarely has much consideration been given to the boys and adolescent males who are the victims of such abuse. That young girls are consistently the clear majority of sexual abuse victims is not disputed, however the extent to which they are the majority is in question. A review of existing literature has indicated that one of the leading factors for this inadvertent negligence in presenting a truer picture of the magnitude of the problem for male victims concerns the area of under-reporting of the incidence of abuse of young males. Under-reporting has served to give a false sense of the scope of child sexual abuse, particularly for male children. Many societal and methodological factors contribute to under-reporting. Reasons for the discrepancy in reporting abuse will be presented and implications for practice will be discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Association for Protecting Children (1987).Highlights of official child neglect and abuse reporting: 1985. Denver: American Humane Association.
American Psychiatric Association (1987).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, D.C.
Bagley, C., Wood, M., & Young, L. (1994). Victim to abuser: Mental health and behavioral sequels of child sexual abuse in a community survey of young adult males.Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(8), 683–697.
Banning, A. (1989). Mother-son incest: Confronting a prejudice.Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 563–570.
Bartholow, B. N., Doll, L. S., Joy, D., Douglas, J. M., Bolan, G., Harrison, J. S., Moss, P. M. & McKirnan, D. (1994). Emotional, behavioral, and HIV risks associated with sexual abuse among adult homosexual and bisexual men.Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(9), 747–761.
Black, C. A. & DeBlassie, R. R. (1993). Sexual abuse in male children and adolescents: Indicators, effects, and treatments.Adolescence, 28(109), 123–133.
Blanchard, G. (1986). Male victims of child sexual abuse: A portent of things to come.Journal of Independent Social Work, 1(1), 19–27.
Busby, D. M., Glenn, E., Steggell, G. L. & Adamson, D. W. (1993). Treatment issues for survivors of physical and sexual abuse.Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 19(4), 377–392.
Dimock, P. T. (1988). Adult males sexually abused as children.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 3(2), 203–221.
Ellerstein, N.S. & Canavan, J. W. (1980). Sexual abuse of boys.American Journal of Diseases of Children, 134, 255–257.
Elwell, M.E., & Ephross, P.H. (1987). Initial reactions of sexually abused children.Social Casework: The Journal of Contemporary Social Work, 68(2), 109–116.
Fagot, B.I., Hagan, R., Youngblade, L.M. & Potter, L. (1989). A comparison of the play behaviors of sexually abused, physically abused, and non-abused preschool children.Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 9(2), 88–100.
Faller, K. C. (1989). Characteristics of a clinical sample of sexually abused children: How boy and girl victims differ.Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 281–291.
Finkelhor, D. (1984).Child sexual abuse: Theory and research. New York: Macmillian.
Finkelhor, D., Araji, S., Baron, L., Browne, A., Peters, S., & Wyatt, G. (1986).A sourcebook on child sexual abuse. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Friedrich, W. N., Beilke, R. J. & Urqiza, A. J. (1988). Behavior problems in young sexually abused boys.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 3(1), 21–28.
Fromuth, M. & Burkhart, B. (1989). Longterm psychological correlates of childhood sexual abuse in two samples of college men.Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 533–542.
Gillman, R. & Whitlock, K. (1989). Sexuality: A neglected component of child sexual abuse education and training.Child Welfare, 68(3), 317–329.
Hussey, D. L., Strom, G., Singer, M. (1992). Male victims of sexual abuse: An analysis of adolescent psychiatric inpatients.Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 9(6), 491–503.
Kempe, R. & Kempe, C. (1984).The common secret: Sexual abuse of children and adolescents. New York: Freeman.
McCarthy, L.M. (1986). Mother-child incest: Characteristics of the offender.Child Welfare, 65, 447–458.
Meiselman, K. (1978).Incest: a psychological study of causes and effects with treatment recommendations. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
Pierce, R., & Pierce, L. H. (1985). The sexually abused child: A comparison of male and female victims.Child Abuse and Neglect, 9, 191–199.
Reinhart, M. A. (1987). Sexually abused boys.Child Abuse and Neglect, 11, 229–235.
Salter, A. C. (1988).Treating child sex offenders and victims. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Scott, W. (1992). Group therapy with sexually abused boys: Notes towards managing behavior.Clinical Social Work Journal, 20(4), 395–409.
Schechter, M.D. & Roberge, L. (1976). “Sexual exploitation”. In R. Helfer & C.H. Kempe (Eds.),Child abuse and neglect: The family in the community. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.
Sebold, J. (1987). Indicators of child sexual abuse in males.Social Casework: The Journal of Contemporary Social Work, 75–80.
Sgroi, S. (1981).Handbook of Clinical Intervention in Child sexual Abuse. Lexington, MA: Lexingtion Books.
Swett, C., Surrey, J., & Cohen, C. (1990). Sexual and physical abuse histories and psychiatric symptoms among male psychiatric outpatients.American Journal of Psychiatry, 147(5), 632–636.
Thorstad, D. (1991). Man/boy love and the American gay movement.Journal of Homosexuality, 20, 251–274.
Vander Mey, B. J. (1988). The sexual victimization of male children: A review of previous research.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12, 61–77.
van der Kolk, B.A. (1989). The compulsion to repeat the trauma: Re-enactment, revictimization and masochism.Psychiatric Clinical North America, 12, 389–411.
Watkins, B., & Bentovim, A. (1992). The sexual abuse of male children and adolescents: A review of current research.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 33, 197–248.
Yungman, J. J., & Hegar, R. L. (1986). Seeing the invisible: What social workers can do about sexual abuse.Social Work in Education, 8(2) 107–120.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cermak, P., Molidor, C. Male victims of child sexual abuse. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 13, 385–400 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875856
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01875856