While some secrets fade with time, others grow heavier the longer they are carried. Some secrets are far heavier. Sexual trauma (ST) is one such experience, affecting people across all genders and often remaining undisclosed due to stigma and fear.
While public attention often focuses on girls and women, boys and men also face ST at concerning rates, with lifetime estimates reaching nearly a quarter of men (Smith et al., 2018). Child sexual abuse (CSA) alone affects 6.2%–18.8% of boys (Moody et al., 2018; Segal & Gnanamanickam, 2024), and adult experiences of ST are reported by at least 3.8% of men (Craner et al., 2015; Elliott, 2004). Yet these numbers likely underestimate the true scale, as stigma, societal expectations, and inconsistent definitions lead to widespread under-reporting (Catton & Dorahy, 2024; Peterson et al., 2011).
Disclosure, telling someone about the abuse, is often described as a crucial step toward healing, yet boys and men are less likely to disclose, often waiting 15–20 years on average (Easton, 2013; Romano et al., 2019). Factors such as gender norms, shame, fear of disbelief, and male-specific myths about sexual trauma (Turchik & Edwards, 2012; PettyJohn et al., 2023) create unique barriers to disclosure. Talking to trusted friends, family, or professionals can reduce shame, challenge self-blame, and open access to support (Rapsey et al., 2020).
This blog explores emerging evidence on the factors that influence sexual trauma disclosure among boys and men, highlighting why understanding these processes is essential for improving support, safety, and outcomes. It sheds light on this under-researched population, aiming to guide safer, more supportive pathways for disclosure and to remind us that some secrets are too heavy to carry alone.
Some secrets are too heavy to carry alone. Sexual trauma affects people across all genders and often remains undisclosed due to stigma and fear.
Methods
To answer this question properly, the authors used a careful and well-established review process. They looked for the right kinds of studies by including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research that explored why boys and men do or do not disclose sexual trauma. Searches covered four major academic databases (PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Medline) and were backed up by checking reference lists and Google Scholar, meaning that key studies were unlikely missed. The quality of each study was assessed using recognised appraisal tools, including CASP, which strengthens confidence in the findings. Because the studies used different designs and measures, results were combined using clear narrative summaries rather than inappropriate statistical pooling.
Results
This review brought together evidence from 69 studies involving 10,517 boys and men who had experienced sexual trauma, along with 297 people who supported them (such as health professionals, police, and family members). The studies came from 23 countries across six continents, with nearly half published in the last five years, showing growing global attention to this issue. Most studies were qualitative, meaning they explored lived experiences in depth, while others used surveys or records to identify patterns and predictors of disclosure.
How common are barriers to disclosure?
Across nine quantitative studies, many boys and men reported strong barriers to disclosing sexual trauma. The most common barriers included shame, fear of being disbelieved or blamed, and beliefs that they should cope on their own.
In some studies, nearly two-thirds of men said shame prevented them from seeking help. Concerns about others’ reactions varied widely, ranging from 2% to over 55%, suggesting that context and population matter greatly.
What makes disclosure more or less likely?
Fifteen studies examined factors linked to whether boys and men disclosed at all. Findings showed no single, consistent predictor, but several patterns emerged. Disclosure was often less likely when the perpetrator was a family member or someone close, highlighting how betrayal and loyalty complicate help-seeking. Social support mattered: men who had supportive peers or caregivers were up to three times more likely to disclose than those without such support.
Demographic factors like age, education, and sexuality showed mixed results, meaning they did not reliably predict disclosure on their own.
How long does disclosure take?
Across studies that measured timing, disclosure was often delayed by many years. On average, men took 15 to 21 years to disclose sexual trauma, and in some studies fewer than 1 in 5 disclosed during childhood.
Delays were longer when abuse happened at older ages, involved close perpetrators, or occurred in environments where safety and trust were limited.
What did boys and men say in their own words?
Qualitative findings revealed five major themes. Boys and men often needed time to recognise and make sense of what happened, especially when abuse conflicted with ideas about masculinity. Many feared unsafe or harmful reactions, worried about physical danger, or struggled to find appropriate services. Across cultures, masculine norms around strength, silence, and self-reliance repeatedly discouraged disclosure.
Disclosure of sexual trauma in boys and men was often less likely when the perpetrator was a family member or someone close, highlighting how betrayal and loyalty complicate help-seeking.
Conclusions
This review concludes that boys and men face distinct, gender-related barriers that make disclosing sexual trauma especially difficult and often delays or prevents access to support (PettyJohn et al., 2023).
Sexual trauma can strongly affect masculine identity, with fears of appearing weak or violating masculine norms discouraging disclosure and help-seeking (Widanaralalage et al., 2022).
Limited public recognition of male victimisation and a lack of tailored services further compound these challenges (O’Gorman et al., 2023).
Boys and men face distinct, gender-related barriers that make disclosing sexual trauma especially difficult.
Strengths and limitations
This review offers a valuable contribution to understanding the gendered barriers boys and men face in disclosing sexual trauma (ST). A key strength lies in its ecological perspective, which considers multiple layers influencing disclosure, from personal and relational factors to institutional responses (Alaggia et al., 2019). By consolidating evidence on both facilitating and inhibiting factors, the review highlights the unique challenges faced by male survivors and provides a useful knowledge base for clinicians and policymakers (O’Gorman et al., 2023). Its inclusion of various support contexts, including informal networks, healthcare, and legal systems, allows for a broad understanding of disclosure dynamics, reflecting the complex interplay of social and systemic influences.
However, according to CASP criteria, several methodological weaknesses warrant attention. Restricting searches to four databases and English-language publications introduces selection bias, potentially omitting relevant studies from non-English contexts or grey literature, which may limit the comprehensiveness of the evidence. The decision to combine studies of childhood and adult sexual trauma increases the scope, but risks confounding trauma experiences across developmental stages, reducing the specificity of the findings (Weiss, 2010). Observer bias is also a concern, as the synthesis relies on the authors’ interpretation of heterogeneous studies with varying methodologies. Attrition bias in longitudinal or retrospective studies included in the review may also skew results toward participants more willing or able to disclose trauma. No conflicts of interest or funding sources are explicitly reported, though affiliations with trauma-focused organisations may have influenced the framing toward clinical implications.
Overall, while the review is methodologically sound and addresses a historically neglected population, readers should interpret findings cautiously. Potential biases and the heterogeneity of included studies suggest that conclusions, particularly regarding intervention development, would benefit from further empirical validation. Despite these limitations, the review provides an important foundation for gender-sensitive, trauma-informed approaches to supporting boys and men exposed to sexual trauma.
Despite some limitations, this review provides an important foundation for gender-sensitive, trauma-informed approaches to supporting boys and men exposed to sexual trauma.
Implications for practice
Imagine a small, quiet pond hidden deep in a forest. When rain falls, the water ripples and sometimes overflows, but because the pond is tucked away and rarely seen, its currents go unnoticed, its needs unmet. For many boys and men who experience sexual trauma, their experiences are much like that hidden pond: the longer their secrets are carried, the heavier the weight becomes. Unspoken trauma creates unseen pressure, just as water accumulating in the pond builds tension beneath the surface. The currents of emotion, shame, and fear remain contained, often causing internal strain, yet the world remains largely unaware.
This evidence reinforces the urgent need to bring these experiences into view, both in clinical practice and policy. Clinicians and support services need to adopt gender-sensitive, trauma-informed approaches that acknowledge the unique barriers male survivors face, including fears of violating masculine norms and concerns about being disbelieved (PettyJohn et al., 2023; Widanaralalage et al., 2022). Services must expand beyond generic supports to provide tailored interventions, specialised training for professionals, and safe avenues for disclosure. Policies should prioritise funding and accessibility for male-centered services, recognising that invisibility perpetuates harm. Screening protocols in healthcare and mental health services should explicitly include boys and men, and campaigns to raise public awareness should normalise male experiences of sexual trauma.
The findings also open avenues for future research. Longitudinal studies exploring the impact of sexual trauma on masculine identity, coping strategies, and help-seeking behaviors could inform targeted interventions. Comparative studies between childhood and adult experiences may help refine age-specific treatments. Additionally, exploring culturally diverse male experiences could address intersectional vulnerabilities often overlooked in existing literature.
From a personal perspective, seeing this research highlights the human cost of silence. Many male survivors carry trauma in isolation, believing their experiences are less valid or serious than those of females. As someone engaged in care, it is a reminder that trauma does not discriminate by gender, and our practices must reflect this reality. Like tending to the hidden pond in the forest, actively observing, acknowledging, and supporting male survivors can turn a quiet, overlooked space into one of healing and growth. By integrating these findings into practice, we can ensure male survivors are no longer invisible, creating opportunities for recovery, empowerment, and resilience.
This review highlights the human cost of silence. It serves as an important reminder that trauma does not discriminate by gender, and our practices must reflect this reality.
Statement of interests
Demetra Christodoulou has no conflicts of interest to declare.
Editor
Edited by Laura Hemming.
Links
Primary paper
Vita Pilkington, Sarah Bendall […], and Zac Seidler. (2025). Barriers and facilitators for sexual trauma disclosure in boys and men: A systematic review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 15248380251325210.
Other references
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CASP. (2018). Critical appraisal checklists.
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