Reports of sexual offences against men and boys have risen by more than 200% in the past decade, figures show.
Between 2006-07 and 2016-17, the number of offences reported in England and Wales rose from 3,819 to 12,130, said the Office for National Statistics.
Andy Connolly, from Survivors UK, said victims were beginning to feel they would be believed but there was still a “massive wall of silence”.
A 2015 survey estimated about 96% of offences against males go unreported.
Mr Connolly, chief executive of male rape and sexual abuse charity Survivors UK, said: “We do know of men who come forward and they just meet comments like ‘men can’t get raped, they can’t be sexually abused’ and are treated with disbelief that it is even a thing that happens to men.”
Figures show that reports of sexual assaults against males went from 2,687 to 7,610 (+183%) and rape reports rose from 1,132 to 4,520 (+299%) between 2006-07 and 2016-17.
Over the same period, reports of sexual assaults against females rose from 21,128 to 38,186 (+80.7%) and rape reports went from 12,599 to 36,639 (+190%).
Allegations did not necessarily take place in the year they were reported and therefore the increase has been attributed to a rise in the number of historic allegations being made to police.
