Male Sexual Assault Survivor Speaks Out on Justice and Healing

Sam Schultz highlights the struggle for recognition and support within the LGBTQ+ community, amid broader issues of underreporting and societal stigma.

• Sam Schultz, a male sexual assault survivor, has spoken out about the difficulties of seeking justice and healing, highlighting the lack of support and understanding within the LGBTQ+ community.
• Schultz was assaulted by two prominent figures in the opera community, who were later sentenced to eight years' probation and required to register as sex offenders.
• Research indicates that as many as 95% of male sexual violations go unreported, with four out of five men who reported assaults regretting doing so due to unsympathetic and disinterested police and added trauma.
• Stigma, shame, guilt, embarrassment, fear of not being believed, privacy concerns, and worries about sexual orientation or masculinity being questioned are among the reasons men may fail to report sexual assault.
• Schultz hopes for a reckoning in gay and queer communities and sees signs of change, such as a recent BBC report uncovering allegations of sexual exploitation by the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch.

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