Research article – Recent research recording Australian service providers observations on male survivors help seeking behaviours revealed that readiness, willingness and commitment are key factors in the help seeking decision

When, Why and How Male Victim-Survivors of Sexual Violence Seek Help: Sexual Violence Practitioner Experiences of Support Provision Open Access

by April Murphy
The British Journal of Criminology, azaf110, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjc/azaf110

Prior research has indicated significant delays in the help-seeking of male victim-survivors who have experienced sexual violence. Understanding the help-seeking behaviours among this cohort is crucial for empowering victim-survivor voices, developing effective support services and broadening scholarly understandings of help-seeking and crisis responses. Thirty-eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with practitioners working within the sexual violence support sector across regional, rural and urban Australia. Observations revealed a process of help-seeking among male victim-survivors that is most often aligned with: (1) readiness, (2) willingness and (3) commitment. Practitioners believed that recovery and healing can be a non-linear lifelong process, and that the decision to seek help is fraught with complexities and challenges. These challenges emphasize the need for services to offer responsive, person-centred and flexible support options.