Male on Male Rape: The Hidden Toll of Stigma and Shame - Review

Journal of Sex Research, May, 1999 by Michael D. Lyde

UNVEILING MALE RAPE: NO MAN IS IMMUNE Male on Male Rape: The Hidden Toll of Stigma and Shame. By Michael Scarce. New York: Insight Books, 1997, 311 pages. Cloth, $27.95.

Reviewed by Michael D. Lyde, M.A., Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403; e-mail: mlyde@bgnet.bgsu.edu.

Traditional constructions of masculinity, societal apathy, and antigay prejudices obscure the acts of sexual violence between men. Scarce removes the shroud that has hidden male rape from public consciousness and consideration. Although Scarce's primary emphasis is the rape of adult men by other adult men, he makes it clear that all men face the possibility of being sexually assaulted by other members of society.

A recurring theme in the book is that male rape is an act of violence. Scarce presents empirical data and survivor testimony to discredit the myths that entangle male rape with homosexuality and the myths that limit the contexts of male rape. Scarce integrates survivor interviews, newspaper clippings, media representations, and legal case law to demonstrate that male rape is not a violent outbreak of homosexual culture. Most of the male survivors who contributed their stories identified themselves and their attacker as heterosexual. Unlike preceding texts, Scarce's focus is on the instances of male rape that happen outside of prison settings.

Four male rape survivors' accounts constitute the most powerful content of the book. First, the author recounts his date rape in his residence hall room. This story is particularly unsettling because Scarce could hear his neighbors next door, but did not request their help because of intimidation and antigay prejudice. Second, a 30-year-old professional man explains how a walk to his car after a workout at the local health club became a life-altering nightmare. Third, an engaged business student recounts his rape while studying in the woods, his indifferent treatment by medical personnel, the humiliation of a rape examination, the further trauma of police questioning which turned into interrogation, and his ongoing struggle to cope with his victimization. Finally, a college student and feminist activist recounts his assault by three men who wanted to know "How can [he] talk about stopping rape when [he] can't even stop [his] own?" These testimonials show that gay and heterosexual, wealthy and poor, muscular and average-built men are vulnerable to sexual victimization.

Scarce thoroughly distinguishes male rape from homosexuality. The entangling of male rape and homosexuality has had dire consequences for many male survivors. Many survivors tend to question their sexual orientation because of their "sexual" (read: physiological) responses to the assault, which tends to delay their emotional and psychological recovery from their assault. This confusion results in few male rape survivors reporting their experience to medical and law enforcement officials. Many male rape survivors who seek treatment report negative experiences with medical personnel, law enforcement agents, social workers, and counselors.

Additional topics of discussion include exposure to HIV and the role of male rape in feminism. Scarce concludes that a number of factors increase or decrease male rape survivors' chances of seroconversion. In addition, the range of male survivors' experiences with rape crisis centers designed to service women is explored. Finally, Scarce considers whether public disbelief of male rape survivors is effected by an interaction of feminist backlash and antigay prejudice.

Scarce proposes a plan to change public perception of male rape. Strategies to initiate change include informing people as to the prevalence, antecedents, and consequences of male rape; creating a forum for male survivors' voices; providing adequate services for male survivors; repealing sodomy laws and making rape laws gender neutral; and, questioning rape myths that are a part of popular culture.

I strongly recommend Scarce's book to anyone interested in male rape. Scarce's accessible and engaging writing style makes the book interesting and useful as an educational tool and reference guide for laypersons, educators, and professionals. The research bibliographies, compilation of survivor resources, and the sexual assault and rape codes for all of the 50 United States are invaluable.

Michael R. Stevenson, Ph.D. Department of Psychological Sciences Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306, USA