Sexual Violence Against Men In Family Institution

Kamalika K C & Aleena Joshy, SASTRA Deemed to be University, Thanjavur

ABSTRACT

Sexual violence perpetrated by women against men has become a prevalent issue in contemporary times. This encompasses various forms of abuse, such as economic exploitation, physical harm, sexual assault, emotional mistreatment, and psychological abuse, all of which detrimentally impact an individual's mental and physical well-being. In a country like India, men are always seen as dominant figures in life contributing to a closed mindset of society. There are so many stereotypes surrounding them in society. They are always assumed as strong and not vulnerable. Men are commonly viewed as inherently strong and invulnerable, fostering the belief that they cannot be victims of rape or vulnerable to such acts. Society often wrongly associates rape solely with women, perpetuating the misconception that men are immune to such crimes. Another stereotype reinforces the notion that men always desire sex, creating the false belief that any sexual encounter between spouses is consensual and enjoyable. This prevailing mindset discourages open discussions about male victims of rape and sexual violence. Moreover, in this society the expectations of men as unemotional inhibit their ability to openly express their vulnerability, even preventing them from crying openly. Consequently, this prevailing culture makes it challenging for male survivors to speak openly about sexual violence or rape they may have experienced. This article seeks to delve into the experiences of male victims of rape and sexual violence in adulthood, shedding light on a topic often obscured by societal misconceptions.

Keywords: Economic exploitation; Cycolological Abuse; Sexual violence; Men; Society; India; Stereotypes; Victims; Vulnerable; Rape.