Men As Victims and Offenders: Scripting Extrafamilial Male-On-Male Sexual Assaults

• In Event: Explaining the Drivers of Sexual Violence

Abstract

The current literature has largely neglected male-on-male sexual assaults (MMSA), resulting in a limited understanding of the perpetrators’ decision-making process. Moreover, existing studies lack robust support from a strong theoretical framework. Thus, the present study aims to fill these gaps by examining the heterogeneity of MMSA scripts and by analyzing how victim, offender, and crime characteristics influence the crime-commission process. A latent class analysis supported by the script approach was conducted amongst 459 MMSA cases documented in the French Ministry of Interior database. Sixteen variables depicting the various crime stages were used for the main model and 23 additional variables capturing offender and victim’s characteristics were used to assess external validity. Our findings reveal four distinct scripts: Intimate Outdoor, Acquaintance Indoor, Coercive Indoor, and Stranger Outdoor. These results not only shed light on the heterogeneity of MMSA, but also underscores its significance. Moreover, this study offers practical implications, guiding prevention and investigation strategies to address this issue effectively.

Authors

• Gabrielle Bélair, University of Montreal

• Julien Chopin, University of Lausanne

• Francis Fortin, Université de Montréal

• Éric Beauregard, Simon Fraser University