Articles

The Female Sexual Predator

Sexual victimization by women more common than stereotypes suggest.

Stereotypes about women “include the notion that women are nurturing, submissive helpmates to men,” they write. “The idea that women can be sexually manipulative, dominant, and even violent runs counter to these stereotypes. Yet studies have documented female-perpetrated acts that span a wide spectrum of sexual abuse.”

They argue that female perpetration is downplayed among professionals in mental health, social work, public health, and law, with harmful results for male and female victims, in part due to these “stereotypical understandings of women as sexually harmless,” even as ongoing “heterosexism can render lesbian and bisexual victims of female-perpetrated sexual victimization invisible to professionals.”

The authors conclude that in a better world, those charged with responding to sexual victimization would be both gender inclusive, addressing “all victims and perpetrators, regardless of sex,” and gender sensitive, understanding how prevailing norms “influence women and men in disproportionate or different ways.” ... Women Can Be Predators Too

The Harvey Weinstein Effect

The End Of Nondisclosure Agreements In Sexual Assault Cases?

NDAs are common features of settlements in these kinds of claims through which the aggrieved party agrees not to pursue litigation or discuss terms of the deal in exchange for a sum of money. If the NDA is violated, the other party may sue for injunctive relief, which would stop the release of information, and recover damages.

Why did Perkins speak out despite the NDA? In her own words, “Unless somebody does this there won’t be a debate about how egregious these agreements are and the amount of duress that victims are put under. My entire world fell in because I thought the law was there to protect those who abided by it. I discovered that it had nothing to do with right and wrong and everything to do with money and power." ... Non-Disclosure Agreements Perpetuate Abuse

Sexual Assault Against Boys Is a Crisis

Here's why we don't talk about it.

It wasn’t until 2012 that the FBI recognized that men could be raped. Until then, the bureau defined rape as “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.” Now it uses gender-neutral terms; rape is defined as “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.”

Boys who survive sexual violence can experience serious psychological and emotional fallout, including post-traumatic stress, symptoms of depression and anxiety, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse problems and sexual dysfunction. Yet we rarely hear about any of this on the news. We hardly ever talk about it. Stories of sexual misconduct are everywhere, but the tellers of those stories are mostly girls and women. The stories of men and boys still remain mostly hidden, unacknowledged and undiscussed.

When we convey to boys that unwanted touch is a serious issue of sexual assault only when it affects girls and not when it affects boys, we are sending a message that only girls’ bodies are worthy of protection. We can’t solve the problem of violence against girls and women without also addressing violence against men and boys. When we fail to recognize and address violence against boys, not only are we failing to protect boys, but we also may be stoking violence against women. ... Sexual Violence Against Boys

Prevent Child Abuse Vermont: Abuse At Kurn Hattin

'...it was hell on earth and impossible to escape.'

Kurn Hattin, no doubt, was a haven for some children, but for others, it was hell on earth and impossible to escape. They were utterly vulnerable and could neither imagine going back to their families nor what would happen to them if they dared to tell, especially if they were not believed. ... 'Because Hell Is For Children'

The Invisible Male Victims of Sexual Trauma

Robert T Muller Ph.D.

Men have difficulty acknowledging their experiences. A study on childhood sexual abuse found that only 16 percent of men with documented histories of sexual abuse considered themselves to have been sexually abused compared to 64 percent of women with similar documented sexual abuse histories. ... Boys: Invisble Victims

Institutional Betrayal

Jennifer Freyd, Ph.D.

Institutional betrayal occurs when the institution you trust or depend on mistreats you, such as a failure to protect you when you reasonably expect to be protected. Research shows that institutional betrayal is related to measurable harm – both psychological and physical. ... Institutional Betrayal