Lived Experiences of Men Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse in India: A Phenomenological Exploration

Abstract

Adult men survivors of child sexual abuse are an under-studied, under-addressed, and stigmatized population in India. Research on child sexual abuse in India is still in its nascent stages and has not progressed significantly beyond studies of prevalence. Within existing literature, little research has examined how child sexual abuse impacts the lives of boys and men survivors. In this phenomenological study, I sought to understand the lived experiences of Indian men sexually abuse during childhood and the meanings they construct of their abuse experiences. Using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, I conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 11 men who self-identified as having experienced sexual abuse during childhood. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. I identified five superordinate themes: heteropatriarchal social environment, impact of child sexual abuse, meanings of child sexual abuse, disclosure, and perceived relationship between sexual abuse and sexual orientation. Findings indicate the centrality of heteropatriarchy to the experiences of men survivors, with social norms, values and practices regarding masculinity often having a profound impact on how survivors make sense of their abuse experiences. Child sexual abuse can have profound and lasting influences on survivors’ lives in multiple ways, such as through shame and guilt, and silencing and minimization of their experiences by others. Disclosure and talking about abuse experiences is often fraught with challenges for men survivors, not only during childhood but in later life as well. Others’ responses to disclosure are important but unfortunately these are often unhelpful and non-supportive, ranging from offering no response at all to blaming the victim. Finally, findings suggest that many gay, bisexual and queer survivors perceive their sexual orientation to be a consequence of their abuse experiences. In a heteropatriarchal social environment, this can significantly complicate their experiences of abuse as well as of understanding their own sexual orientation. Implications for practice, policy, and future research are discussed.