Assaults against males should get more attention

13 Reasons Why episode starts an important conversation, Victoria Carmichael says.

Netflix recently released the second season of its popular series 13 Reasons Why, which centres around the suicide of 15-year-old Hannah Baker and its aftermath. The first season received significant criticism for its graphic portrayal of suicide, with many mental health advocates calling for its removal from the streaming platform.

Like its predecessor, Season 2 confronts a range of sensitive issues, notably suicide, school shootings and sexual assault. One of the most controversial scenes takes place in the final episode when one of the main characters, Tyler, is sexually assaulted by another student using a mop handle. This graphic portrayal of male-on-male sexual assault has led some viewers and advocacy groups to call for the show’s removal from Netflix.

However, this depiction of sexual violence toward men raises an important issue. It should not lead to the show’s removal.

The scene is realistic. Although the majority of victims of sexual assault are female, sexual violence against men and boys is a serious problem. In Canada, around 10 per cent of police-reported sexual assault victims are men and boys. The real figure is probably much higher, given that sexual assault remains the most under-reported violent crime. Similarly to cases involving women, the vast majority of perpetrators of sexual assault against men are other men. However, men are much more likely to be victimized at younger ages and in an institutional setting, such as at school.

Beyond being a statistical reality, there are dozens of news reports about male-on-male sexual assault, particularly in high school and university settings in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia, where hazing culture

Sadly, male victims are even less likely to disclose to others.

exists within sports teams and other campus groups. For instance, in Tennessee, a high school freshman was sexually assaulted using a pool cue by older members of a basketball team. This case, which was cited as inspiration for including the scene in the series, is just one of many where hazing has turned into sexual assault.

Further, the scene is starting a conversation about sexual assault against men. This is particularly important because there are serious and lasting psychological consequences associated with sexual assault. Indeed, research suggests that sexual violence can have significant longterm psychological effects. For instance, one study found that people who have been sexually assaulted are more likely to experience PTSD and suicidality.

Such a conversation is also important because sexual assault is an issue that remains significantly under-reported. Indeed, it is difficult to get people who have been sexually assaulted to come forward and report the incident to others, let alone to the police. Sadly, male victims are even less likely to disclose to others. Among those men who do eventually report to police, figures from Statistics Canada reveal that there is an average delay in reporting of seven months.

There are numerous reasons why sexual assault tends to go unreported, such as not wanting others to know, feelings of shame, guilt and embarrassment, fear of not being believed, and confidentiality concerns. For men, disclosing a sexual assault may be particularly difficult due to stigma and gendered stereotypes about male sexuality. Sadly, not only are men less likely to report being sexual assaulted, they are also less likely to seek out professional help.

There is no doubt that the scene in question was shocking, graphic and deeply discomforting; however, the truth of the matter is that sexual assault is all these things (and more). Sexual assault against men is an important issue to be raised given that it remains under-reported and largely unrecognized. By putting this reality in the spotlight, the producers of 13 Reasons Why are serving the public interest.

Victoria Carmichael is the research manager of the Social Psychiatry Research and Interest Group (SPRING) at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute.