Men are particularly vulnerable to suicide and are three and a half times more likely than women to end their own lives.

A recent study of Australian men has found that those who were sexually abused as children are 10 times more likely than women to contemplate taking their own lives; many of these men had not been clinically diagnosed as depressed. While gender and mental health problems are the most important risk factors for contemplating suicide, it is increasingly acknowledged that traumatic experiences such as childhood sexual abuse may be a significant risk factor.

Childhood sexual abuse of men or women has monumental consequences for those involved AND for extended family and society in general. Even the PERCEPTION of sexual abuse [in false memories or erroneous perceptions of actual events] is enough in many individuals to trigger long-term traumatic emotional harm eventually resulting in suicidal thoughts and plans, occasionally ending in suicide.

Dr Patrick O’Leary and Professor Nick Gould of the University of Bath’s Department of Social & Policy Sciences conducted a series of surveys and face-to-face interviews with men in a study funded by the University of South Australia. Results were published online in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Social Work.

Dr O’Leary said: “Childhood sexual abuse is an under-recognized problem in men – most of the studies exploring the link with suicide have been in women. Men are particularly vulnerable because they don’t like to talk to others about their problems. It’s difficult for anyone to come to terms with traumatic experiences such as childhood sexual abuse, but for men the stigma is worse because they don’t tend to confide in their friends as much.

“Many suffer feelings of failure and isolation and think that it is a sign of weakness to discuss their past abuse with others. Men also tend to visit their doctors less frequently, so those who are at risk of suicide often slip under the radar of the healthcare system.

“Men are particularly vulnerable to suicide and are three and a half times more likely than women to end their own lives, with more than 2,000 men dying as a result of suicide in the UK each year. However it is estimated that for every suicide, there are between 20 and 25 failed attempts.

“We carried out the study in Australia, which shares a similar ’stiff upper lip’ culture that we see in the UK. We’re planning to do our next study in the UK to see if there are any differences.”

Dr O’Leary suggested that lives could potentially be saved if abuse victims were identified earlier. Obviously, treatment is essential for victims of childhood sexual abuse, whether they be male or female – it’s just that it may be far more essential for men. Further, we need to make it culturally okay for men to divulge and address their childhood sexual abuse. Effective therapies exist, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rapid Eye Technology (RET), Hypnotherapy, and other mind/body therapies – basically therapies and techniques that offer a vehicle for discharge of trauma-induced negative emotional energy.

Rapid Eye Technology specifically offers clients a discharge of ALL negative emotional elements without the necessity of addressing each type specifically – although it can address each individually if the client is so inclined. The holistic nature of the therapy makes it particularly well-adapted to addressing childhood sexual abuse because the hurtful trauma-induced emotional energy is discharged along with that of other trauma-induced negative energies.

Even if the man is unaware of being sexually abused as a child, the negative emotions surrounding that offense are discharged along with the discharge of all other negative emotional elements. Specific disclosure of childhood sexual abuse is irrelevant and unnecessary in Rapid Eye Technology sessions. For men suffering from the illusion that disclosure of such abuse somehow makes them less of a man, this aspect of RET is particularly appealing.

O’Leary explained: “The abuse that these men have suffered as children often sees them attempting to cope by suppressing the experience through substance abuse, alcohol abuse and obsessive behavior, with many ending up in the criminal justice system. Greater awareness in the healthcare and criminal justice systems will help identify those who are at risk and give them treatment before it is too late.”

Source: Vicky Just
University of Bath