Male rape victims in Stockholm, Sweden will be properly cared for in the country's first-ever rape center for men.
The Södersjukhuset, which already has a facility that provides assistance for female victims of sexual assault, will soon be opening a special emergency department for male victims, the hospital announced Wednesday, according to The Local. It is projected that the clinic will begin operations by mid-October.
"The general perception is that men cannot be raped," said the hospital's senior physician, Dr. Lotti Helström. "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 stress disorder," the doctor added, stressing the importance in providing equal access for any rape victim's emergency care.
Sweden has been tagged as the "Rape Capital of the West," and has the second-highest rate of rape all over the world. In 2014 alone, there were 6,620 rape cases reported to the police, according to Gates Institute. Some 370 of these cases involve male victims, according to India Times.
The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) welcomes this initiative by the Södersjukhuset. "There are myths about masculinity that make it difficult for men who have been sexually traumatised to talk about their experiences," said Inger Björklund, the spokesperson for RFSU in the Indian Times report. "A clinic focusing on men who have been sexually abused will contribute to the awareness of experiences of sexual abuse among men and make it more possible to meet their needs in a very exposed situation," she added.
