Childhood Sexual Abuse in Boys and Men: The Case for Gender-Sensitive Interventions

Objective: To review the literature on the experiences of boys and men exposed to childhood sexual abuse, and to assess the implications of this literature for trials of interventions and tailored services for this population. Method: We conducted a narrative review of papers pertaining to boys and men exposed to childhood sexual abuse. Implications of this literature for treatment were critically appraised. Results: Boys and men suffer the negative sequelae of childhood sexual abuse to the same (and sometimes greater) extent as girls and women. Boys and men also experience a number of unique challenges, as the abuse experience may undermine masculine identities and relations. This conflict may contribute to the underreporting of childhood sexual abuse among boys and men. Boys and men are less likely to disclose their abuse experience and wait longer to disclose compared to girls and women. Existing estimates therefore likely underestimate the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among boys and men. Additionally, to date, intervention trials for individuals exposed to childhood sexual abuse have included a disproportionately low number of boys and men, even based on existing prevalence estimates. Conclusions: Further investigation into the treatment needs of boys and men exposed to childhood sexual abuse is critically important. To facilitate a better understanding of their needs, intervention studies for this cohort should include a greater proportion of boys and men. Studies should also assess the influence of boys' and men's alignments to masculine norms for moderating treatment outcomes as a means to guide gender-sensitive treatments.