Recognising Sexual Coercion And Unwanted Sex Among Gay And Bisexual Men.

Interviews were conducted with 23 Key Informants about sexual coercion among gay and bisexual men. Data were analysed using thematic analysis within a social constructionist perspective.
Two broad themes identified  1) a ‘context of risk’ and  2) a particular type of ‘vulnerable individual’. A common feature of informants’ talk was that while they were able to discuss rape and sexual assault as issues for gay and bisexual men, many had difficulty clearly articulating the notion that men are sexually coerced or might not want sex. Instead, when asked about sexual coercion, they seemed to fall back into accounts of more \'extreme\' cases of forced sex.
Notions of risk and vulnerability make sense when we only consider ‘extreme’ cases of rape and sexual assault, rather than the broader spectrum of sexual coercion. However, this ‘reduction’ of sexual coercion just to rape and sexual assault typically misses, and makes invisible, the ‘cultural scaffolding of rape’. We conclude by suggesting sexual coercion is a normative aspect of (all) male sexuality, and not simply an issue within heterosexual relationships. Professional recognition is important for informing policy and practice that enhance sexual safety and enjoyment for gay and bisexual men.