Rapists target male drinkers

Caroline Marcus, SMH - January 13, 2008

HUNDREDS of straight men are being raped in the city and eastern suburbs every year, many after having their drinks spiked.

Health experts have warned that men can be just as much of a target for sexual predators as women, although most men were not aware of the threat that lurked every time they went to the pub.

The Eastern and Central Sexual Assault Service at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital recorded 44 male victims of sexual assault last year, although manager Lisa Simpson said the figure was just "the tip of the iceberg".

There have been 293 since 2001.

Up to 95 per cent of male victims did not report the crime to police.

"There is a huge denial about same-sex sexual assault," Ms Simpson said.

"Men are vulnerable to sexual assault just as women can be vulnerable to sexual assault. Rape is about people who want to dominate other human beings in a sexually aggressive way."

Drug-assisted sexual assaults were relatively common among presentations to the clinic, she said.

"A lot of men seem to have met their offenders at pubs or clubs or venues such as that, had a few drinks and then become aware afterwards that they had been sexually assaulted and their drinks had been spiked with drugs or alcohol," she said.

Men made up 16 per cent of the 273 sexual assault cases at the clinic last year - consistent with national proportions, the Institute of Criminology said.

In 2002, there were 4800 male victims of sexual assault older than 15 across the country, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said.

However, men were also far less likely than women to seek help or report an assault.

The NSW Rape Crisis Centre has also reported an increase in men contacting it.