The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adult male sexual dysfunction

The present study investigated the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual dysfunction in men. In addition, the investigation compared sexually abused men and women on the characteristics of the sexual abuse.

Subjects were 359 men who sought sexual dysfunction treatment. Thirty men reported a history of sexual abuse. Characteristics of the sexual abuse experienced by these men also were compared to the sexual abuse experienced by 73 women initially investigated elsewhere (Sarwer & Durlak 1996).

Sexual abuse was not found to predict sexual dysfunction in these men. Rather, unemployment served as the only significant predictor of male sexual dysfunction. Comparisons of the sexual abuse reported by male and female victims indicated that males were more likely to experience physical force, but were less likely than female victims to be abused more than once and to be abused by an adult.

The results support the notion that childhood sexual abuse may not be as disruptive to adult sexual functioning in men as it is in women. This difference may be a function of the specific circumstances of the sexual abuse. Suggestions for future research on male sexual abuse are provided.