Ready to Stay Hidden for a Long, Long Time: Male Sexual Violence in Young Adult Literature

Women's Literature and Feminist Theory
Literary Theory

English Kappa DanielsonMon, 07/09/2018 - 12:00 Public discussion of male sexual assault is minimal. Young adult literature featuring male victims is similarly under-acknowledged and under-represented. This thesis analyzes the portrayal of male victims of sexual violence within six young adult novels.

As the novels act in conversation with one another, each work presents a different but relevant depiction of the costs of toxic masculinity in the aftermath of sexual violence, as evidenced by the victims’ coping mechanisms and ongoing trauma. Oftentimes, these literary portrayals reflect real-life stigmas that impact adolescent male victims. As the novels discussed in this paper demonstrate, these stigmas vary depending on a variety of characteristics, including sex/gender of the perpetrator, the victim’s relationship with his offender, and the age difference between victim and perpetrator.

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