It is about time we all come to an understanding that RAPE and SEXUAL ASSAULT is a CRIME that has no gender perimeters…a CRIME that is not concerned with age. Socoety is not accepting that MEN are victims of rape and sexual assault-althought less likely to come forward to report it-never the less….men are victims too.
I am writing this particular few paragraphs because it angers me that everytime I search Google or Yahoo for ‘males sexually assaulted in the military’ or anything related to men being sexually violated…it always comes up with women in the response pages. Sorry-theres something very ‘sexist’ about that. I am a male rape survivor-and I am here to try to get attention of our issues…our post traumatic fears,the shame-the guilt…the stigma,and the filth of having had my body violated in such a violent way.
My rapes occoured during my service to America as a U.S.Navy seaman apprentice-I was 18. No one wanted to hear my story back 37 years ago when the rapes took place-when I reported them I was told to get used to it. All these years later someone in the VA system says I should seek compensation…I was met with bigoted ignorence then-the veterans advocate said “one would’nt think homosexuals would need to rape each other” ??? Is’nt that bigoted? and ignorant?
I am wanting to open up the ears of those who can make some changes for us-male victims and female victims…we served our country,they looked the other way.
a males life after rape 
July 15, 2007 at 11:10 pm |
I am a son of Vietnam veteran, So I am aware of how issues
can be “swept under the rug” or that victims are left with “the fault” being there own.
No suprise that military male-on-male rape is not found in internet.
But the story is here. you are very courageous to tell your story.
thanks for providing a voice.
July 16, 2007 at 11:42 am |
…every response to what I am saying is rewarding and each comment means so much when those who write them understand the importance of my words!
Thank You
September 24, 2008 at 4:47 am |
Just wanted to let you know I hear you. I’m sorry. I wish it could have been easier for you. God bless.
September 24, 2008 at 10:35 am |
God Bless you Sandy-sometimes we feel we have it worse,and then we learn of others and the pain they endure-then,our lives don’t seem so bad.
September 26, 2008 at 8:32 pm |
Hello Mr. Herron. I’m a writer and I’m currently doing research on Male on Male rape. I would like to show how things have now changed regarding the differences between a man and woman who have been raped. If you remember how the stigma used to be with a woman who was raped it was usually the woman who was put on trial. i.e. her skirt was too short, she wasn’t wearing underwear, she was asking for it..yada… yada
Although its still not how it should be, it’s better for women today who report rape. The research I have done so far on male rape is mindboggling. I had no idea how many men are actually raped by men and that these rapes are done by Hetero identifying men. The statistics on male rape and the effects that rape has had on these male victims is a story that needs to be told and I want to do it. What I’m seeing is that male victims tend to go through the same emotions that female victims go through. That they are treated as lepers just like the female victims are. I’m looking to interview male victims to hear their stories. How it’s affected them, how they’ve been treated by those friends or family members once they find out. Did they have to quit their jobs or were fired? Did they turn to drugs, or become suicidal. I want to show the other side of rape and that it isn’t just a female issue. If this is something you’re interested in doing, please email me.
Trin
October 13, 2008 at 10:00 pm |
Says, I too am looking for info on male rape in the military. I was raped when I was 17 by someone in the Navy who was home on his first leave. I was close friends with his brother so that made it was easy for him to get to me. He was only a year older than me. It’s clear that he liked to have sex with other males, but wanted to make sure no one every found out. No one including me would have ever suspected that he liked sex with guys. So he used date rape drugs on me that took away my memories, this went on for around 3 weeks. His brother and friends helped him cover up what happened, and I didn’t find out the truth until 40 years later, although I certainly felt the effects soon after what he had done. I knew that I couldn’t remember what happen a lot of times that I was with him. Of course I got suspicious, but as he was drugging me on a on going basics I would forget that I was suspicious. I am hoping to find out is there any other accounts of Navy guys using drugs on other Navy guys to rape them. This was not to imitate but I guess just a cheap and easy way to have sex while on ship, this was in the late 60’ies, so a lot has changed since then, now they are Women on board. He drugged me in front of more or less 50 people while they were giving him a small “coming home”party for his first leave home. Of course only a couple of people knew what was going on besides him. But still I don’t think that he would he would have dared attempt something like that without practice at drugging his victims first. Since he had finished a year’s service my guess is that is where he learned to drugged other guys was on his ship, as he was still very young himself. Just trying to make even a little sense of what he did. Sunny
October 13, 2008 at 11:27 pm |
“Just trying to make even a little sense of what he did.” Sunny
Well,Sunny…there is no making sense of what he did to you! It makes no sense no matter how you look at it and who it was and who you are-to assualt someone in that manner-this manner that effects all of us who have been victims,there is no sense in it for us.
I cannot speak of the Navy as a sole confines of this crime-it is a wide problem in the military in all forces.
I am aware of a US Navy chaplain that has been charged with drugging his victims-I believe there is a link to a ‘Newsweek’ story regarding the case in my blog-somewhere.
I also have written about Capt.Devery Taylor,USAF that drugged his victims-he recently was convicted and sentenced to 50 plus years.
I am personally taken by your story-that you have no recourse,and I know you suffer.
August 25, 2013 at 2:42 pm |
I hear you Jay. I love reading your blog. I only wish I could be as proflic a writer. Your words are healing. Please continue. Much love and respect to you.