GITNUXREPORT 2026

Male Sexual Assault Statistics

Male sexual assault is far more common than many people realize.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

Male sexual assault survivors have a 3x higher risk of PTSD compared to non-victims per NIMH

Statistic 2

50% of male victims develop major depression post-assault per APA study

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Suicide attempt rate among male survivors is 4x national average per CDC

Statistic 4

70% report chronic anxiety disorders 5 years post-assault per longitudinal study

Statistic 5

Erectile dysfunction rates increase by 40% in male survivors per urology journal

Statistic 6

Substance use disorders 2.5x higher in male victims per SAMHSA

Statistic 7

65% experience sleep disturbances lasting over a year per sleep research

Statistic 8

HIV/STI infection risk 5x higher due to assault-related trauma per CDC

Statistic 9

45% of survivors face relationship dissolution within 2 years per family studies

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Male victims show 2x risk of homelessness post-assault per HUD

Statistic 11

30% develop dissociative disorders per DSM studies

Statistic 12

Chronic pain syndromes in 55% of survivors per pain journal

Statistic 13

25% higher unemployment rates long-term per labor studies

Statistic 14

Immune system suppression leading to 35% more illnesses per psychoneuroimmunology

Statistic 15

60% report hypervigilance lasting decades per trauma centers

Statistic 16

Fatherhood impact: 40% struggle with parenting bonds per family therapy

Statistic 17

70% of male perpetrators of sexual assault against men are known to the victim per US DOJ

Statistic 18

90% of male prison sexual assault perpetrators are other inmates per BJS PREA data

Statistic 19

Female perpetrators account for 46% of child sexual abuse against boys per US meta-analysis

Statistic 20

Average age of male sexual assault perpetrators is 27 years old per FBI UCR data analysis

Statistic 21

35% of perpetrators against adult men have prior criminal convictions per NCVS

Statistic 22

Intimate partners perpetrate 41% of sexual violence against men per CDC NISVS

Statistic 23

25% of male perpetrators identify as LGBTQ+ per limited victim surveys

Statistic 24

Substance abuse present in 65% of perpetrators at time of male victim assault per NIJ study

Statistic 25

Repeat offenders account for 60% of serial assaults on males per BJS recidivism data

Statistic 26

80% of male-on-male assaults occur in institutional settings per PREA reports

Statistic 27

68% of perpetrators against boys are male per CDC

Statistic 28

20% of female perpetrators against men use weapons per NIJ

Statistic 29

Perpetrators aged 18-24 commit 45% of assaults on adult men per UCR

Statistic 30

55% of intimate partner sexual assaults on men involve alcohol by perpetrator per CDC

Statistic 31

Clergy perpetrators: 4% of male child abuse cases per John Jay report

Statistic 32

75% of prison staff perpetrators are female per BJS

Statistic 33

Gang-affiliated perpetrators in 15% of street assaults on men per NIJ

Statistic 34

40% of perpetrators have mental health disorders per APA

Statistic 35

Approximately 1 in 6 men in the United States has experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime

Statistic 36

In a 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 25.1% of men reported experiencing sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes

Statistic 37

Globally, 7.2% of men report experiencing sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to WHO data

Statistic 38

In the UK, 3% of men aged 16-59 reported being sexually assaulted in the past year per the Crime Survey for England and Wales

Statistic 39

Among US male college students, 6.6% reported experiencing sexual assault since entering college per a 2015 study

Statistic 40

1 in 33 US men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime according to CDC NISVS

Statistic 41

In Australia, 1.1% of men aged 18+ reported sexual assault victimization in the past 12 months per ABS data

Statistic 42

Prison inmates: 4.4% of male jail inmates reported sexual victimization by staff per BJS 2011-12 survey

Statistic 43

Among US men, 2.8% experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner per CDC 2016/2017 data

Statistic 44

Lifetime prevalence of childhood sexual abuse for men is estimated at 5-10% in meta-analyses

Statistic 45

In the US, 2.6 million men have been raped, but only 38,000 cases reported annually per DOJ estimates

Statistic 46

UK: 20,000 male victims of sexual offenses annually, 12% reported per ONS

Statistic 47

Canada: 8% of men report childhood sexual abuse per GSS

Statistic 48

South Africa: 16% lifetime prevalence for men per WHO multi-country study

Statistic 49

India: 4.5% of men report sexual assault per NFHS-5

Statistic 50

Among US veterans, 12% male report MST per VA

Statistic 51

Only 10-20% of male sexual assaults are reported to police per RAINN

Statistic 52

Of reported cases, 5% result in conviction per BJS prosecution data

Statistic 53

86% of male victims do not seek medical care post-assault per NSVRC

Statistic 54

False reporting rate for male victim cases is under 2% per meta-analysis

Statistic 55

Average time to report for men is 20 years post-assault per 1in6

Statistic 56

Police skepticism leads to 30% dropout rate in male victim cases per UK study

Statistic 57

Victim services accessed by only 8% of male survivors per VAWnet

Statistic 58

Sentencing disparities: Male victim cases get 25% lighter sentences per Sentencing Project

Statistic 59

Only 23% of US states have specific laws addressing male victims per NCSL

Statistic 60

In Australia, only 15% of male victims report to authorities per ABS

Statistic 61

Conviction rate for male victim rapes: 2.8% in England per CPS

Statistic 62

94% of unreported due to fear of not being believed per EU survey

Statistic 63

Hotline calls from men: 11% of total sexual assault calls per RAINN

Statistic 64

Legal aid access for male victims: 20% lower than females per ABA

Statistic 65

70% of male victims face victim-blaming by responders per qualitative studies

Statistic 66

Prison reporting: 40% substantiated per PREA audits

Statistic 67

28% of male sexual assault victims in the US report the assault occurred before age 10

Statistic 68

US men aged 18-24 have the highest rate of sexual assault victimization at 4.8% annually

Statistic 69

Among male victims, 55% identify as heterosexual, 15% as gay, 20% bisexual per 1in6 survey

Statistic 70

Racial breakdown: 27.3% of Black men vs 20.5% White men report lifetime sexual violence per NISVS

Statistic 71

Men with disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault per US DOJ data

Statistic 72

40% of male victims were assaulted by family members according to RAINN analysis

Statistic 73

Military men: 13% report unwanted sexual contact per DoD 2021 survey

Statistic 74

Low-income men (<$25k/year) report 35% higher victimization rates per NSVRC

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Urban male residents experience 1.8 times higher sexual assault rates than rural per BJS NCVS

Statistic 76

62% of male child sexual abuse victims are abused by someone outside the family

Statistic 77

15% of male high school students report sexual dating violence per CDC Youth Risk Survey

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Hispanic men: 24.7% lifetime sexual violence rate vs national average per NISVS

Statistic 79

52% of gay male victims assaulted by other men in same-sex relationships per NSVRC

Statistic 80

Men over 50: 1.2% annual victimization rate per NCVS

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Transgender men: 46% lifetime sexual assault rate per NTDS

Statistic 82

35% of male victims are assaulted at home per NCVS data

Statistic 83

Homeless men: 25% annual sexual victimization rate per HUD study

Statistic 84

Immigrant men: 18% higher reporting barriers per Urban Institute

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While the staggering statistic that one in six men in the United States experiences sexual violence in his lifetime is a crucial starting point, the true scope of this silent epidemic is revealed in the countless other data points that paint a devastating picture of its prevalence, impact, and the systemic barriers to justice.

Key Takeaways

Approximately 1 in 6 men in the United States has experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime
In a 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 25.1% of men reported experiencing sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes
Globally, 7.2% of men report experiencing sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to WHO data
28% of male sexual assault victims in the US report the assault occurred before age 10
US men aged 18-24 have the highest rate of sexual assault victimization at 4.8% annually
Among male victims, 55% identify as heterosexual, 15% as gay, 20% bisexual per 1in6 survey
70% of male perpetrators of sexual assault against men are known to the victim per US DOJ
90% of male prison sexual assault perpetrators are other inmates per BJS PREA data
Female perpetrators account for 46% of child sexual abuse against boys per US meta-analysis
Male sexual assault survivors have a 3x higher risk of PTSD compared to non-victims per NIMH
50% of male victims develop major depression post-assault per APA study
Suicide attempt rate among male survivors is 4x national average per CDC
Only 10-20% of male sexual assaults are reported to police per RAINN
Of reported cases, 5% result in conviction per BJS prosecution data
86% of male victims do not seek medical care post-assault per NSVRC

Male sexual assault is far more common than many people realize.

Impacts and Consequences

Male sexual assault survivors have a 3x higher risk of PTSD compared to non-victims per NIMH
50% of male victims develop major depression post-assault per APA study
Suicide attempt rate among male survivors is 4x national average per CDC
70% report chronic anxiety disorders 5 years post-assault per longitudinal study
Erectile dysfunction rates increase by 40% in male survivors per urology journal
Substance use disorders 2.5x higher in male victims per SAMHSA
65% experience sleep disturbances lasting over a year per sleep research
HIV/STI infection risk 5x higher due to assault-related trauma per CDC
45% of survivors face relationship dissolution within 2 years per family studies
Male victims show 2x risk of homelessness post-assault per HUD
30% develop dissociative disorders per DSM studies
Chronic pain syndromes in 55% of survivors per pain journal
25% higher unemployment rates long-term per labor studies
Immune system suppression leading to 35% more illnesses per psychoneuroimmunology
60% report hypervigilance lasting decades per trauma centers
Fatherhood impact: 40% struggle with parenting bonds per family therapy

Impacts and Consequences Interpretation

While society often wrongly frames male sexual assault as a fleeting shame, these statistics paint the brutal, lifelong truth: it is a foundational trauma that systematically dismantles a man's mind, body, and life brick by brick.

Perpetrator Profiles

70% of male perpetrators of sexual assault against men are known to the victim per US DOJ
90% of male prison sexual assault perpetrators are other inmates per BJS PREA data
Female perpetrators account for 46% of child sexual abuse against boys per US meta-analysis
Average age of male sexual assault perpetrators is 27 years old per FBI UCR data analysis
35% of perpetrators against adult men have prior criminal convictions per NCVS
Intimate partners perpetrate 41% of sexual violence against men per CDC NISVS
25% of male perpetrators identify as LGBTQ+ per limited victim surveys
Substance abuse present in 65% of perpetrators at time of male victim assault per NIJ study
Repeat offenders account for 60% of serial assaults on males per BJS recidivism data
80% of male-on-male assaults occur in institutional settings per PREA reports
68% of perpetrators against boys are male per CDC
20% of female perpetrators against men use weapons per NIJ
Perpetrators aged 18-24 commit 45% of assaults on adult men per UCR
55% of intimate partner sexual assaults on men involve alcohol by perpetrator per CDC
Clergy perpetrators: 4% of male child abuse cases per John Jay report
75% of prison staff perpetrators are female per BJS
Gang-affiliated perpetrators in 15% of street assaults on men per NIJ
40% of perpetrators have mental health disorders per APA

Perpetrator Profiles Interpretation

The portrait of a male sexual assault perpetrator is not a cartoonish monster but a complex and often familiar figure: he is typically a young man known to his victim, likely struggling with substance abuse or mental health issues, and his violence thrives in the shadows of institutions, relationships, and plain sight.

Prevalence Rates

Approximately 1 in 6 men in the United States has experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime
In a 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, 25.1% of men reported experiencing sexual violence other than rape during their lifetimes
Globally, 7.2% of men report experiencing sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime according to WHO data
In the UK, 3% of men aged 16-59 reported being sexually assaulted in the past year per the Crime Survey for England and Wales
Among US male college students, 6.6% reported experiencing sexual assault since entering college per a 2015 study
1 in 33 US men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime according to CDC NISVS
In Australia, 1.1% of men aged 18+ reported sexual assault victimization in the past 12 months per ABS data
Prison inmates: 4.4% of male jail inmates reported sexual victimization by staff per BJS 2011-12 survey
Among US men, 2.8% experienced sexual violence by an intimate partner per CDC 2016/2017 data
Lifetime prevalence of childhood sexual abuse for men is estimated at 5-10% in meta-analyses
In the US, 2.6 million men have been raped, but only 38,000 cases reported annually per DOJ estimates
UK: 20,000 male victims of sexual offenses annually, 12% reported per ONS
Canada: 8% of men report childhood sexual abuse per GSS
South Africa: 16% lifetime prevalence for men per WHO multi-country study
India: 4.5% of men report sexual assault per NFHS-5
Among US veterans, 12% male report MST per VA

Prevalence Rates Interpretation

These statistics are not a whisper but a chorus of millions of men whose suffering has been systematically muted by a society that still struggles to believe them.

Reporting and Response

Only 10-20% of male sexual assaults are reported to police per RAINN
Of reported cases, 5% result in conviction per BJS prosecution data
86% of male victims do not seek medical care post-assault per NSVRC
False reporting rate for male victim cases is under 2% per meta-analysis
Average time to report for men is 20 years post-assault per 1in6
Police skepticism leads to 30% dropout rate in male victim cases per UK study
Victim services accessed by only 8% of male survivors per VAWnet
Sentencing disparities: Male victim cases get 25% lighter sentences per Sentencing Project
Only 23% of US states have specific laws addressing male victims per NCSL
In Australia, only 15% of male victims report to authorities per ABS
Conviction rate for male victim rapes: 2.8% in England per CPS
94% of unreported due to fear of not being believed per EU survey
Hotline calls from men: 11% of total sexual assault calls per RAINN
Legal aid access for male victims: 20% lower than females per ABA
70% of male victims face victim-blaming by responders per qualitative studies
Prison reporting: 40% substantiated per PREA audits

Reporting and Response Interpretation

The statistics paint a stark picture of a system where male survivors, already burdened by societal silence, face a daunting gauntlet of skepticism and institutional neglect that too often transforms their pursuit of justice into a punishing ordeal.

Victim Demographics

28% of male sexual assault victims in the US report the assault occurred before age 10
US men aged 18-24 have the highest rate of sexual assault victimization at 4.8% annually
Among male victims, 55% identify as heterosexual, 15% as gay, 20% bisexual per 1in6 survey
Racial breakdown: 27.3% of Black men vs 20.5% White men report lifetime sexual violence per NISVS
Men with disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault per US DOJ data
40% of male victims were assaulted by family members according to RAINN analysis
Military men: 13% report unwanted sexual contact per DoD 2021 survey
Low-income men (<$25k/year) report 35% higher victimization rates per NSVRC
Urban male residents experience 1.8 times higher sexual assault rates than rural per BJS NCVS
62% of male child sexual abuse victims are abused by someone outside the family
15% of male high school students report sexual dating violence per CDC Youth Risk Survey
Hispanic men: 24.7% lifetime sexual violence rate vs national average per NISVS
52% of gay male victims assaulted by other men in same-sex relationships per NSVRC
Men over 50: 1.2% annual victimization rate per NCVS
Transgender men: 46% lifetime sexual assault rate per NTDS
35% of male victims are assaulted at home per NCVS data
Homeless men: 25% annual sexual victimization rate per HUD study
Immigrant men: 18% higher reporting barriers per Urban Institute

Victim Demographics Interpretation

These statistics reveal a sobering truth: sexual violence against men is a pervasive, deeply entrenched crisis that systematically targets the vulnerable—from children and students to soldiers and the homeless—while society's silence remains a deafening accomplice.

Sources & References

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