Men Too? Victim Advocates’ Perceptions of the Inclusion of Survivors who Identify as Men in the #MeToo Movement

Abstract

The #MeToo movement promotes awareness of the prevalence of sexual victimization, but it has been criticized for overlooking some survivors. The purpose of this qualitative research is to explore 41 U.S. rape victim advocates’ perceptions of the #MeToo movement’s inclusion of or impact on survivors who identify as men. Results indicate that advocates perceive that men are not encouraged to disclose their experiences or become involved in the #MeToo movement. This reflects differences in general societal responses to rape survivors based on gender. Advocates’ perceptions inform the #MeToo movement’s future and possibly the anti-rape movement’s future. The movement’s efforts to recognize the prevalence of sexual victimization and create change through social media activism may fall short without recognition of the experiences of all survivors.