Male rape victims: noninstitutionalized assault

Fourteen male rape victims treated in a county hospital emergency room over a 30-month period are compared with 100 randomly selected female victims treated over the same period. The male victims as a group sustained more physical trauma, were more likely to have been a victim of multiple assaults from multiple assailants, and were more likely to have been held captive longer. They were more reluctant to reveal initially the genital component of their assault and were more likely to use denial and control their emotions in reaction to the assault. Proper diagnosis and treatment of male rape victims requires a high index of suspicion and sensititivty to the likelihood of major, hidden trauma.