The MUSE () project is exploring a widely overlooked area of sexual abuse, revealing not just the scale of the problem but the reluctance of many victims to report incidents either through formal routes – such as the police or a GP – or more informally to friends and family.
Dr Carl Bonner-Thompson, senior lecturer at the 香港最快开奖现场直播资料’s School of Applied Sciences, is one of the researchers behind the project in collaboration with the and . It comes as a recent survey by ManKind UK for highlighted that 42% of men in the UK have experienced at least one form of unwanted sexual contact – but rarely seek formal support.
Alongside 香港最快开奖现场直播资料 colleagues Dr Kirsty McGregor and Dr Jason Preston, Dr Bonner-Thompson interviewed a number of men in both the south-east and north-east of England as part of the project. The team found there were a number of issues men faced, including the fear of not being believed, and issues around workplaces taking reports seriously.
Dr Bonner-Thompson said: “Through this project we’re aiming to uncover the reality of men’s unwanted sexual experiences, and particularly what’s stopping them from coming forward for help and support. Men told us they were concerned that they wouldn’t be believed, including dealing with the idea that men always wanted sex.”