Male Victims of Sexual Violence Perpetrated by Women in the U.S.: Implications for Risky Sexual Behavior?

Mekeila Cook, University of California, Los Angeles

This study investigated the association between forced sex by women and HIV risk behaviors among victimized men. Data come from the National Survey for Family Growth (2006-2010) N=8,108; analyses consisted of logistic and linear regressions. Six percent of men (N= 501) reported being forced to have sex by a woman. The mean age reported at the time of forced sex was 18 years old. Men who have been forced to have sex reported more sexual partners and initiated sex at a younger age than non-victimized men, in addition to low overall condom use (33% at last sex). Taken together, victimized men reported riskier sexual behaviors that put them at greater risk for HIV/STI compared to non-victimized men. This study highlights a bias in the sexual violence literature that focuses research attention on men as perpetrators of sexual violence and women as victims of sexual violence.