Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Postdoctoral Researcher in Criminal Law and Criminology, Shahid Beheshti University
2
Master of Criminal Law and Criminology, Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch
3
PhD student in Criminal Law and Criminology, University of Meybod
10.22108/nrcs.2026.149600.1005
Abstract
Male sexual victimization is one of the lesser-known phenomena in the criminal law and criminology literature, which experiences a high level of concealment and underreporting due to the dominance of gender stereotypes. The aim of the present study is to explain the dimensions of male sexual victimization, the typology of perpetrators, and the analysis of factors affecting the formation, continuation, and concealment of this phenomenon in light of field findings. This study was conducted with a qualitative approach based on inductive content analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews based on the Delphi method with a group of experts including psychiatrists, psychologists, criminologists, sociologists, physicians, and sexual victims, and were coded and analyzed using MAXQDA software. The findings showed that male sexual victimization is a multidimensional phenomenon that is shaped by the interaction of individual, psychological, social, cultural, and structural factors. Perpetrators can also be classified into distinct types, including situational, domineering, vengeful, severely mentally disturbed, organized, and female perpetrators, each with different motivations, methods of committing, and behavioral patterns. The results of the study also showed that gender stereotypes, social stigma, weak reporting mechanisms, and insufficient legal protections are among the most important factors in the concealment of male sexual victimization and the reduction of their referral to the criminal justice system. Accordingly, reforming criminal policy, reviewing gender-based attitudes, developing specialized support for victims, and improving the training of criminal justice system personnel are among the most important requirements for effective support for male victims. The innovation of the present study lies in presenting the first qualitative typology of male sexual victimization perpetrators based on field data and explaining this phenomenon in an interdisciplinary framework that can serve as the basis for reforming legislative, judicial, and preventive policies.
Keywords
)