Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys
According to the Office for National Statistics (March, 2023), the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) estimates that 1.2% of males, aged 16 years and over, were victims of sexual assault (including attempts) in the year ending March 2022; this equates to 275,000 men. A review of prevalence research on child sexual abuse estimates that 5%–8% of boys experience sexual abuse (Karsna & Kelly, 2021).
The ONS reports that the volume of sexual offences recorded by the police has been increasing over the last decade, although the numbers remain well below the number of victims estimated by either self-report research or the CSEW.
The ONS states that victim support organisations show an increase in demand in recent years. The organisation Victim Support reported an increase in the number of referrals for sexual assault cases from 9,114 in the year ending March 2017 to 26,641 in the year ending March 2022. However, most of these referrals (around 80% each year) were for female victims. The number of referrals for male victims remains largely unchanged over the same period.
What is the Sexual Violence Against Men and Boys Research Network (SVAMB-RN)?
SVAMB-RN developed from the Male Survivors Partnership. It brings together leading researchers and practitioners with the intention of becoming an international centre of excellence for research into sexual violence and abuse experienced by boys and men. If you are interested in joining us in our work, please contact us using the link below.
We will be working directly with male survivors and support services to understand their experiences and the impacts of sexual violence. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across disciplines can connect through the Network, with the aim of developing and delivering research with real, immediate, and lasting impact.
The SVAMB Research Network provides access to high quality research resources for anyone affected by sexual violence, particularly the male victim-survivor community and those individuals and organisations who provide support for this community, as well as policy makers, and any other interested parties, in support of their activities. Resources are added and content updated on a regular basis. If you have outputs – academic or practitioner publications or other research-based reports – that you think should be added, please contact us with details.
SVAMB-RN Objectives
SVAMB-RN is underpinned by three guiding objectives. It will:
- advance and disseminate knowledge about sexual violence against males and the male survivor community that is underpinned by robust and ethical research.
- design, deliver, support, and encourage research that focuses on the male experience of sexual violence, whilst also working to support all ethical research that tackles sexual violence.
- design, deliver, support, and promote research that benefits the male survivor community, includes the male survivor community, and is accessible to that community.