106. Kennath Widanaralalage. What’s the effect of sexual violence on male survivors

Dr Kennath Widanaralalage is a Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Westminster. He is a qualitative researcher interested in understanding: How do male victim-survivors make sense of their sexual victimisation? What coping strategies do male survivors of sexual violence use? How do male survivors of sexual abuse access support? What prevents male victims reporting their experiences to the police and involving the Criminal Justice System?  What are some of the rape myths that are perpetuated about victimisation of males? Why is qualitative methodology particularly suited to exploring the experience of sexual abuse of males? What are some of the ethical issues in researching the impact of sexual abuse?

During his PhD, Ken explored men’s experiences of rape and sexual abuse in adolescence and adulthood. Working with men made him increasingly interested and committed to understanding and supporting marginalised, seldom-heard groups, using qualitative methods to provide a platform where individuals can tell their stories and break their silence. He believes
in the value of personal experiences and the transfer of knowledge to help others and wants to create a better society for survivors and their close networks.