Helping Professionals’ Experiences Treating Hispanic Male Victims of Rape or Sexual Assault

Abstract

The rape and sexual assault of male victims is vastly understudied. The purpose of this qualitative study is to obtain the professional experiences of helping professionals who have worked with Hispanic male rape or sexual assault victims in order to give the public a better understanding of best practices, techniques, or interventions in treating this population. In turn, this will better equip professionals to develop adequate treatment programs and community resources as well as to help advocate for these victims and allow them to overcome the trauma they have endured. Through the generic qualitative method, research was conducted using semi-structured, open-ended interviews with ten helping professionals. Through the data collected, distinct themes emerged that included waiting to seek help, treatment for secondary reasons, symptoms, treatment goals, masculinity/machismo, clients’ families, client legal status, clinicians’ cultural competence, effective, and ineffective interventions, ineffective interventions, challenges in outreach, and the decision to report.