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Myth Busting: Male Sexual Trauma

Any other myths that you have questions about?

I was abused by a man, does that make me gay?

Nope! Being sexually abused by another man does not make you gay. Sexual orientation is a term that describes who you are sexually and/or romantically attracted to. Being sexually abused happened without your consent. Regardless of your orientation, your abuse cannot be explained or excused by who you love. Nothing about who you are makes your abuse your fault, or okay.

If I became erect/climaxed, I must've enjoyed it

Climaxing, or having an erection, does not mean that it wasn't abuse. The body is hardwired to respond to sexual stimulus - in other words, your body has nerve endings that are purposed for pleasure and they don't recognise the difference between consensual sex and harm. On top of that, ejaculation is an involuntary response that we have no control over.

But I didn't explicitly say no, it couldn't've been abuse? 

Silence does not equate to consent.

People can freeze, and feel paralysed. We can also do what is called "fawning" (AKA the "please response"), which looks like doing whatever you need to do, or being whatever you need to be in order to avoid further harm - including sexual acts (P.S. It is NOT consent if you say yes to sex for survival purposes). These are common, normal and human survival responses that your nervous system believed were necessary for your survival. 

Men can't be sexually abused by women

Yes they can!

The stereotype that men would never turn down sex with a woman can make it hard for male survivors to understand their abuse from a woman as harm, but men can be coerced, assaulted and abused by women too.

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