Expired Boys Betrayed, Men Restored: Consequences of Male Sexual Victimization

As leaders in family therapy training, Ackerman is committed to training clinicians in areas that affect families the most. This free, Distinguished Family Therapy Lecture presented by Ackerman Training is made possible with support from the East 87th Street Fund.


Program Description:

This lecture led by Dr. Richard B. Gartner, will discuss the dire need to support male-identified victims of abuse and their families.

Research suggests that in the United States one in six boys is directly victimized sexually by age 16. Figures for other countries are similar. It has become increasingly apparent in recent years that men, too, are subject to sexual abuse, harassment, and assault.

In order to treat this population, it is crucial that mental health clinicians are aware of the unique challenges male victims face in processing this trauma. This presentation addresses these special challenges. Particular attention will be paid to the themes of male gender socialization, sexual orientation concerns, and myths that interfere with men being open about their histories or even recognizing their sexual betrayal.

Topics Include:

  • Prevalence figures
  • The interpersonal core of sexual betrayal trauma
  • Definitions of different kinds of sexual abuse and trauma
  • Range of possible abusers
  • Grooming of victims
  • Cultural myths that make it difficult for men to acknowledge having been victimized
  • Further myths that interfere with boys and men processing sexual betrayal
  • Abuse by male vs. female victimizers
  • Specific concerns about victimization by a male predator for boys whether they are already growing into predominantly gay or predominantly straight sexual orientations
  • The question of whether sexually abused boys almost inevitably become sexually abusing men

Presenter:

Richard P. Gartner, PhDRichard B. Gartner, PhD, is Training and Supervising Analyst, Faculty, and Founding Director of the Sexual Abuse Program at the William Alanson White Institute. A Fellow of the American Psychological Association and three of its Divisions, he was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the APA’s Division of Trauma Psychology. He has been a pioneer in the treatment of sexually victimized boys and men since the 1980s and co-founded MaleSurvivor.org, a national organization that supports men with sexual abuse histories. He has made dozens of professional presentations about his work throughout the world and has been widely interviewed in the media about male sexual victimization. Among his six books, he is the author of Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men, now considered the classic professional text on the subject; and Beyond Betrayal: Taking Charge of Your Life after Boyhood Sexual Abuse, written for the general public.

 

Return to Ackerman Distinguished Family Therapy Lectures

  • May 11, 2023
    6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Richard B. Gartner, PhD

CE contact hours are not offered for this series.

Location:   Online Event

Description:

A link will be emailed to you one day before the event. Online events are held in Eastern Standard Time (ET).

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