Understanding Male Sexual Abuse

About the Book

The best way to understand male sexual abuse is to learn about its survivors. They are the victims, and they have stories to tell.

Author O’Brien Dennis recounts how he was sexually abused as a boy in Jamaica, and he also shares accounts from other men who were abused. By giving them a voice, he unveils how male sexual abuse can so easily happen at the hands of close and trusted family, friends and even strangers.

As you read these intimate stories, you’ll learn how society’s narrow definitions of sexuality and masculinity have conspired to silence male victims, preventing many from speaking up about their abuse. Sexual abuse hurts victims, who may later suffer from drug addiction, sexual dysfunction, self-blame, guilt, and other problems. Male rape is used not only as a form of subjugation but also as a tool for war and dominance in contemporary wars and conflicts.

Male sexual abuse is underreported, and it is estimated that one in six boys is sexually abused before he reaches age sixteen. By Understanding Male Sexual Abuse, it’s possible to start exploring solutions to a terrible problem.

“Dennis calls on policy makers and public administrators to raise their heads from their sheaves of paper and to pay attention to the many men who are victims of rape in prisons or other institutions, and to see that male sexual abuse is more than a public health hazard; rather, it rips at the fabric of society and humanity.”
—Antoine B. Craigwell, journalist

About the Author

O’Brien Dennis was born and raised in Jamaica, where he was a victim of male sexual abuse. As the executive director of the O’Brien Dennis Foundation, he researches sexual abuse and provides a safe haven for survivors and their families. He lives in Westchester County in New York State and is also the author of The Cries of Men: Voices of Jamaican Men Who Have Been Raped and Sexually Abused. Learn more at www.obriendennis.com.