There is considerable overlap in male and female rape myths but there are some important gender-related differences that deserve our attention. To help measure these, in 2021 Ben Hine and colleagues created the Male Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, with two categories.
There is considerable overlap in male and female rape myths but there are some important gender-related differences that deserve our attention."
The first is “Blame”, and includes victim blaming, toxic views of masculinity, and a denial of consequences for men who are victims of sexual assault.
These myths include:
• ‘Real men’ cannot be raped;
• Male victims of rape have very little emotional trauma to cope with;
• A man who is raped must have been behaving in a way that made him appear homosexual;
• If a man has been raped he should be able to cope on his own;
• If a man has already had consensual sex with other men, his claims of rape should not be believed;
• Only men who are big and strong are able to rape other men.
Sinaga’s case is useful for providing an example that debunks all of these. Sinaga was a gay man of average stature, who deliberately targeted heterosexual men. Many of his victims were larger and stronger than him, including the victim who reported him to the police. And, many of his victims continue to suffer from severe emotional trauma and need psychological .
The second category of rape myths is “Minimisation/Exoneration” and includes making excuses for the perpetrator and presenting a stereotypical image of rapists.
These myths include:
• Regardless of how they identify themselves, men who rape other men are homosexual;
• Men who commit rape are naturally more aggressive in their day to day lives;
• Most cases of male rape include the use of a weapon;
• Most men would be able to fight off a male sexual attacker;
• Almost all male rape occurs in institutions such as prisons or the military.
