Sweden Opens Trauma Center for Male Rape Victims

A Swedish hospital will soon open a center to help male rape victims in an emergency care setting. The medical center will be the first example of its kind in Sweden and will give service in the capital city of Stockholm starting from October 2015, RT News reported.

The hospital initiated the program and decided to open a center to help male rape victims specifically to provide "gender equal" treatment for rape victims, both male and female. The center will be open to both men and boys who were victims of sexual assault.

RT News reported that a senior physician from The Södersjukhuset Hospital, where the center will be opened, said that it is a general perception that men cannot be raped but in reality men can suffer even more than women. "In studies, the health effects are shown to be greater for men, both in terms of physical health and mental health. There is a greater risk of a raped man getting post-traumatic disorder," she added. She also noted that male rape being "extremely taboo" is a contributing factor to that fact.

Another point she emphasized was the fact that male rape victims could also face "sexual identity" problems because it is more likely for a man to be raped by another man than by women.

According to the statistics provided by the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, there were 370 reported cases of sexual assault on men and boys in 2014, but RT news reports that the experts think many more cases go unreported.

A spokesperson for the hospital said "There are myths about masculinity that make it difficult for men who have been sexually traumatized to talk about their experiences."

RT also reported that male rape victims all across Sweden had no idea from where and how they could receive emergency care after they are assaulted. The care center is expected to increase awareness of the issue and provide care for male individuals who are in