PROJECT: R*PE OF MEN - THE CRIME THAT IS TOO OFTEN IGNORED
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THE MISCONCEPTION THAT R*PE ONLY HAPPENS TO WOMEN
When the subject of r*pe is discussed in South Africa, the public conversation quite correctly focuses heavily
on violence against women and children. However, there is another group of victims who are frequently overlooked:
men and boys who are s*xually assaulted or r*ped.
R*pe is not exclusively a crime against women. Men can be victims of r*pe, s*xual assault, coercion and
other forms of s*xual violence. The fact that a victim is male does not make the crime less serious,
less traumatic or less deserving of investigation and justice.
Men may be reluctant to report s*xual violence because of shame, fear of ridicule, concerns about being disbelieved,
or the misconception that a man should have been physically capable of preventing the assault.
These attitudes can contribute to significant under-reporting.
This is particularly concerning because s*xual violence against males can occur across all age groups and circumstances.
It can affect adult men, elderly and vulnerable men, boys and other males who may be perceived by criminals
as incapable of defending themselves.
WHAT CONSTITUTES R*PE?
South African law does not define r*pe according to the s*x of the victim alone.
Under the Criminal Law (S*exual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007, r*pe broadly involves the unlawful and intentional commission of an act of s*xual penetration with another person without that person's consent.
Importantly, the law recognises different forms of s*xual penetration.
A male victim can therefore legally be a victim of r*pe.
The absence of consent is central.
A person may be unable to consent because of physical force, threats, intimidation, coercion, incapacity, unconsciousness, intoxication or other circumstances recognised by law.
A victim's inability to physically resist does not mean that consent existed.
MEN CAN BE VICTIMS REGARDLESS OF AGE:
One of the most dangerous misconceptions is that s*xual violence against men primarily involves young boys.
The reality is broader.
Adult men can be targeted by perpetrators.
Elderly men can be s*xually assaulted.
Men who are intoxicated, unconscious, disabled, isolated or otherwise vulnerable can become victims.
Prisoners and persons in institutional or controlled environments may also face heightened vulnerability to s*xual violence.
Children are particularly vulnerable and require specialised protection.
The victim's age, physical strength, occupation, social standing or circumstances do not determine whether a s*xual offence has occurred.
WHY MALE VICTIMS OFTEN REMAIN SILENT:
The under-reporting of r*pe against men is a serious concern.
A male victim may experience intense psychological conflict after an assault.
He may ask himself why he did not fight back, whether others will believe him, or whether people will question his masculinity.
Some victims fear being mocked by friends or family.
Others fear that police officers, medical personnel or the broader community will not take their allegations seriously.
There can also be fear of social stigma.
A victim may worry about what the disclosure could mean for his relationships, employment, reputation or family.
In cases where the alleged perpetrator is known to the victim, reporting may become even more difficult.
These factors can create a cycle of silence in which the victim receives no assistance and the alleged perpetrator remains free to offend again.
THE "REAL MAN" MISCONCEPTION:
One of the most damaging myths surrounding male r*pe is that a "real man" should always be able to defend himself.
This is fundamentally wrong.
S*xual violence is about the unlawful violation of another person's bodily autonomy.
Physical strength does not guarantee protection from r*pe.
A victim may freeze.
He may be threatened with a weapon.
He may fear serious injury or death.
He may be intoxicated or unconscious.
He may be physically restrained.
He may comply because he believes resistance will make the situation more dangerous.
None of these circumstances should automatically be interpreted as consent.
Survival is not consent.
MALE VICTIMS CAN EXPERIENCE SERIOUS TRAUMA:
The psychological consequences of r*pe do not depend on the victim's gender.
A male survivor may experience fear, anger, depression, anxiety, shame, isolation, sleep disturbances, difficulty trusting others and significant changes in behaviour.
Some victims may attempt to suppress the incident rather than seek professional assistance.
Others may turn to alcohol or other destructive coping mechanisms.
The consequences can continue long after the physical injuries have healed.
This is why r*pe must never be treated simply as a physical crime.
It can have profound psychological, emotional, social and financial consequences for the victim and his family.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION IS IMPORTANT:
A male r*pe victim should seek medical assistance as soon as reasonably possible.
Medical professionals can assess injuries, provide appropriate treatment and address risks associated with s*xually transmitted infections and other medical consequences.
A forensic medical examination can also be important to the investigation.
Where possible, the victim should avoid washing, bathing, changing clothes or otherwise destroying potential forensic evidence before medical examination.
However, if a victim has already washed or changed clothes, he must not assume that it is too late to report the crime.
The absence of visible injuries does not mean that r*pe did not occur.
REPORTING THE CRIME:
A victim should report the matter to the SAPS as soon as possible.
The victim should provide investigators with as much information as he can remember, including:
Where the incident occurred.
When it occurred.
The identity or description of the alleged perpetrator.
Whether weapons or threats were involved.
Whether other persons witnessed the incident.
Whether vehicles were involved.
Communications, messages or electronic evidence connected to the incident.
Any injuries or medical treatment received.
Any other information that may assist investigators.
The victim should preserve potentially relevant evidence, including clothing, messages, photographs, recordings, location information and other digital evidence.
WHAT IF THE VICTIM IS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY?
A male victim must not be discouraged from reporting simply because somebody dismisses his allegation.
S*xual offences are serious criminal matters and should be dealt with through proper investigative and legal processes.
If a victim believes that his complaint has not been properly handled, he should document what occurred and seek appropriate assistance to escalate the matter through the relevant channels.
A victim should also consider obtaining legal advice where necessary, particularly where there are concerns about the investigation, evidence preservation or the handling of the complaint.
THE PERPETRATOR CAN BE SOMEONE THE VICTIM KNOWS:
Another misconception is that r*pe is necessarily committed by a stranger.
It is not.
The alleged perpetrator may be a stranger, acquaintance, friend, colleague, family member, partner or another person known to the victim.
The existence of a previous relationship does not automatically establish consent to a s*xual act.
Consent must be considered in relation to the particular s*xual act and circumstances.
THE DANGER OF VICTIM BLAMING:
Society must stop asking male victims questions that effectively place responsibility for the crime on them.
Questions such as:
"Why didn't you fight?"
"Why were you there?"
"Why did you drink?"
"Why didn't you leave?"
do not establish whether a sexual offence occurred.
The responsibility for s*xual violence rests with the person who allegedly committed the unlawful act.
Investigators must establish the facts through evidence, not stereotypes about masculinity.
PROTECTING BOYS AND VULNERABLE MEN:
Parents, caregivers, institutions and communities must also recognise that males can be victims.
Children must be taught appropriate personal-safety boundaries and encouraged to tell a trusted adult if somebody behaves towards them in a s*xually inappropriate manner.
Adults responsible for vulnerable persons should pay attention to behavioural changes, unexplained injuries, fear of particular individuals, withdrawal, sudden anxiety and other warning signs.
These signs do not by themselves prove s*xual abuse, but they should never simply be ignored.
Specialised Security Services (SSS) believes that the public conversation about s*xual violence must include all victims.
Women and girls remain critically vulnerable to s*xual violence, but this must never result in male victims being forgotten.
Men are r*ped. Boys are s*xually abused. Vulnerable and elderly men can be s*xually assaulted.
These crimes can be devastating, and victims deserve to be heard, protected and properly investigated.
The first step is breaking the silence.
A man who has been r*ped should not be ashamed to report the crime. He is not less of a man because he was victimised.
Being unable to prevent an assault does not make him responsible for the assault.
R*pe is a crime of violence, coercion and the violation of bodily autonomy—
not a crime that belongs exclusively to one gender.
South Africa needs an environment in which every victim of s*xual violence can report without fear of ridicule,
humiliation or disbelief.
Male victims must know that they have the right to seek medical assistance, report the crime,
preserve evidence and demand a proper investigation.
Most importantly, society must understand one simple principle:
A man who is r*ped is a victim of a serious crime.
He is not weak, he is not responsible for what happened to him, and he should never be made to suffer in silence.
SSS urges any person affected by s*xual violence to seek appropriate medical, police,
legal and professional support and to report suspected sexual offences to the relevant authorities.
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