["I have never said anything"--a retrospective biographical study of sexual abuse of boys]

A summation will be provided concerning the extent of the sexual abuse of boys and the consequences arising there from. A qualitative study involving 10 interviews with men who were abused will be introduced. Previous studies have tended to be one sided concerning the emphasis placed on the development from having been abused, to becoming an abuser. Through our research we have discovered two additional types of coping mechanisms outside the established criteria. These being, complete avoidance of known masculine behaviour and, the emulating of known masculine behaviour thus creating a facade to disguise insecurities. In conclusion, specific gender characteristics concerning the coping patterns of abused boys will be discussed.