Sexual Abuse of Men and How They Can Begin the Healing Process
Sexual abuse is a common problem in the world. We hardly go a day without hearing of abuse, of which we should all take note. Statistics have it that in every 140 seconds, two sexual assaults occur. Most sexual abuse involves women.
However, this does not dispute the fact that men also get sexually harassed and abused. In most sexual occurrences involving a man, there tends to be an attitude of negligence and pure unconcern, which can be heartbreaking. We forget that abuse is abuse and should not be gender-biased.
Just like other survivors, male victims have that feeling of self-disgust and sadness. These victims face a different quality of trauma than women because of faulty thoughts towards the sexually abused man.
Misconceptions on the Sexual abuse of Men
These perceptions are the reason most male victims stay clear of the media and all other forms of exposure. Some of which are;
Men don’t get sexually abused.
Some people wrongly believe that men cannot be a victim.
All sexual abuse reported by men is false.
A man benefits when they are sexually abused by a woman.
All of these are wrong assumptions about men that have been abused. People are even more judgmental towards men than women. They may look at them with disbelief. These men, in turn, lack self-peace sanity and are prone to depression and isolation, and don’t often seek help.
How to begin the healing process
Open up about the abuse.
Generally, admitting to being abused can be very difficult because of the stigma attached. Women speak up more than men when it comes to sexual abuse. The men have more fear of disbelief than women. You “remain” entrapped when you “remain” silent. Giving voice to the abuse begins to take your power back.
Understand you are not to blame
You must understand that whatever happened was not your responsibility. The shame will be felt, but remember, sexual abusers are excellent at entrapment, and you were not wrong to have trusted someone. Once you can establish this as a truth, it will be easier to free yourself from the guilt and the stuckness in many areas. So work hard towards self-forgiveness.
Get set for flashbacks
There will be flashbacks, and those memories will haunt you for a while. So, prepare your mind, take precautions, and with time, they will lessen.
Tips:
Anticipate the flashback
Note things that trigger these flashbacks and steer clear of them when possible
Note symptoms that occur before a flashback
Take enough time to relax once you notice these symptoms
Nurture and reconnect to the world
Getting over an abuse may be difficult, but taking care of your mind can hasten the process. For this reason, you must build your mind in the best of ways; avoid drugs, mind what you watch, engage in mind relaxing activities, and connect with friends. You deserve to be happy, so reconnect with the world.
Gender doesn’t change the effect of the abuse on a person because its impact is more mental than physical. The impact of sexual abuse yields a traumatic experience even in men, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. No matter the abuse you struggle with, do as much as you can right to keep you sane mentally, physically, and emotionally.