Myth: Men sexually assault women because they cannot control their sexual urges
Fact: Sexual assaults are violent crimes committed by men who want to dominate and degrade women
Myth: Women secretly want to be sexually assaulted
Fact: Women do NOT want to be assaulted. Sexual assault is a traumatic, painful, and fearful experience
Myth: "Nice" girls DO NOT usually get sexually assaulted.
Fact: Women of all ages, cultural backgrounds, social classes, and of all sexual lifestyles are equally likely to become victims of sexual assault.
Myth: Women who are sexually assaulted "asked for it" by the way they dress or act.
Fact: The notion that women "ask for it" is a classic way to displace the blame from the offender to the victim. If a woman is sexually assaulted, it is NOT their fault. A woman NEVER "asks" or deserves to be sexually assaulted regardless of how they dress or act.
Myth: Women are sexually assaulted by sex-crazed strangers while they are alone in a dark alley or deserted places.
Fact: 80% of sexual assaults occur in the home and 49% occur in broad daylight. Most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows and trusts, for example a family member, friend or casual acquaintance.
Myth: Men CANNOT be sexually assaulted.
Fact: Men CAN be sexually assaulted regardless of age, size, strength, appearance or sexual orientation.
Myth: Only homosexual men are sexually assaulted.
Fact: Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or transgender men are equally likely to become sexually assaulted. Being sexually assaulted does not have anything to do with your sexual orientation.
Myth:Only homosexuals sexually assault other men.
Fact: Most men who sexually assault other men are heterosexual. The act sexual assault usually deals with violence, anger, control over another individual ,and NOT lust or sexual attraction.
Myth: Erection or ejaculation during sexual assault means "you really wanted it" or "enjoyed it" or consented to it.
Fact: Erection and ejaculation are physiological responses that may result from mere physical contact or even extreme stress. These responses do not imply that you wanted or enjoyed the assault and do not indicate anything about your sexual orientation. Some rapists are aware how erection and ejaculation can confuse a victim of sexual assault - this motivates them to manipulate their victims to the point of erection or ejaculation to increase their feelings of control and to discourage reporting of the crime.
Myth: Men are always in control of their sexual experiences.
Fact: This is not true, either for young boys or for adult males. Men can be victims of rape/sexual assault.
Myth: Men do NOT experience the same degree of emotional pain associated with sexual assault like women do. If a man experiences emotional pain, he should be able to deal with it.
Fact: Factors such as alcohol, drug abuse, family violence, sexual offending, suicide, and social dysfunction may be a result of sexual abuse of males when not acknowledged or treated.
Sources:
Ontario Women's Directorate (2002). Sexual assault: Dispelling the myths.
Women Against Violence Against Women. Information for the sexually assaulted: Myths surrounding the sexual assault (pp. 1-14).
University of Texas at Austin (2000). For men only: For male survivors of sexual assault.
