The Cultural Blind Spot



Let there be no confusion - men are victims of rape and they have LONG been overlooked and underacknowledged as victims of rape.

The Uniform Crime Report definition of rape, before recent changes, enabled a cultural blind spot.  According to the former language, men could not be victims of rape.  The old definition, right out of 1927, was: “the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.”

This change is but a small one in the direction of creating space for men and boys to disclose sexual abuse/assault/violence against them - the next step is up to each of us.

New York Times recently ran a story on men as victims of rape - you can read it here.

The Rape Recovery Team serves ALL victims of rape - women AND men.  There will be no cultural blind spots here.