Consent and violence amongst men in the context of sexualised drug use: A systematic scoping review

Dean J. Connolly; Santino Coduri-Fulford; Katherine Macdonald; Gail Gilchrist; Luke Muschialli

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104706

Consent and violence amongst men in the context of sexualised drug use: A systematic scoping review

Dean J. Connolly^*, Santino Coduri-Fulford, Katherine Macdonald, Gail Gilchrist, Luke Muschialli

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Sexualised drug use (SDU) is a highly prevalent phenomenon of increasing public health significance in communities of men who have sex with men (MSM). This prospectively registered PRISMA-ScR-adherent systematic scoping review examines the current state of knowledge surrounding violence amongst MSM in the context of SDU. A broad search was conducted across four databases, with no restrictions. Studies citing or cited by all database-identified records retained for full-text review were retrieved and screened. Three journals were hand-searched across the past five years, and three searches were conducted on Google Scholar. In addition, 13 key opinion leaders were contacted via email to request any additional published or unpublished data. The twenty-eight studies included in the final synthesis reported mostly qualitative data from geographically diverse non-representative samples, predominantly relating to sexual violence with other typologies seldom investigated or reported. Although quantitative data were limited, sexual violence appeared common in this context and was directly associated with impaired mental health and suicidality. Some participants reported first- or second-hand accounts of non-consensual administration of incapacitating doses of GHB/GBL to men who were subsequently raped. This was frequently perpetrated by men whose age, status, or financial privilege afforded them power over their victims. While reports from some participants suggested context-specific blurring of the lines of consent, a few quotes demonstrated a dearth of knowledge surrounding the centrality of consent in lawful sex. Given the historical denigration of MSM, any efforts to further investigate or address this issue must be community-led.

Original language	English
Article number	104706
Journal	International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume	136
Early online date	22 Jan 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104706
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2025

Keywords

Chemsex
Drugs
Men who have sex with men
Sexual minority men
Sexual violence
Sexualised drug use
Violence

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104706

Cite this

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title = "Consent and violence amongst men in the context of sexualised drug use: A systematic scoping review",

abstract = "Sexualised drug use (SDU) is a highly prevalent phenomenon of increasing public health significance in communities of men who have sex with men (MSM). This prospectively registered PRISMA-ScR-adherent systematic scoping review examines the current state of knowledge surrounding violence amongst MSM in the context of SDU. A broad search was conducted across four databases, with no restrictions. Studies citing or cited by all database-identified records retained for full-text review were retrieved and screened. Three journals were hand-searched across the past five years, and three searches were conducted on Google Scholar. In addition, 13 key opinion leaders were contacted via email to request any additional published or unpublished data. The twenty-eight studies included in the final synthesis reported mostly qualitative data from geographically diverse non-representative samples, predominantly relating to sexual violence with other typologies seldom investigated or reported. Although quantitative data were limited, sexual violence appeared common in this context and was directly associated with impaired mental health and suicidality. Some participants reported first- or second-hand accounts of non-consensual administration of incapacitating doses of GHB/GBL to men who were subsequently raped. This was frequently perpetrated by men whose age, status, or financial privilege afforded them power over their victims. While reports from some participants suggested context-specific blurring of the lines of consent, a few quotes demonstrated a dearth of knowledge surrounding the centrality of consent in lawful sex. Given the historical denigration of MSM, any efforts to further investigate or address this issue must be community-led.",

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author = "Connolly, {Dean J.} and Santino Coduri-Fulford and Katherine Macdonald and Gail Gilchrist and Luke Muschialli",

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AU - Connolly, Dean J.

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AU - Gilchrist, Gail

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N2 - Sexualised drug use (SDU) is a highly prevalent phenomenon of increasing public health significance in communities of men who have sex with men (MSM). This prospectively registered PRISMA-ScR-adherent systematic scoping review examines the current state of knowledge surrounding violence amongst MSM in the context of SDU. A broad search was conducted across four databases, with no restrictions. Studies citing or cited by all database-identified records retained for full-text review were retrieved and screened. Three journals were hand-searched across the past five years, and three searches were conducted on Google Scholar. In addition, 13 key opinion leaders were contacted via email to request any additional published or unpublished data. The twenty-eight studies included in the final synthesis reported mostly qualitative data from geographically diverse non-representative samples, predominantly relating to sexual violence with other typologies seldom investigated or reported. Although quantitative data were limited, sexual violence appeared common in this context and was directly associated with impaired mental health and suicidality. Some participants reported first- or second-hand accounts of non-consensual administration of incapacitating doses of GHB/GBL to men who were subsequently raped. This was frequently perpetrated by men whose age, status, or financial privilege afforded them power over their victims. While reports from some participants suggested context-specific blurring of the lines of consent, a few quotes demonstrated a dearth of knowledge surrounding the centrality of consent in lawful sex. Given the historical denigration of MSM, any efforts to further investigate or address this issue must be community-led.

AB - Sexualised drug use (SDU) is a highly prevalent phenomenon of increasing public health significance in communities of men who have sex with men (MSM). This prospectively registered PRISMA-ScR-adherent systematic scoping review examines the current state of knowledge surrounding violence amongst MSM in the context of SDU. A broad search was conducted across four databases, with no restrictions. Studies citing or cited by all database-identified records retained for full-text review were retrieved and screened. Three journals were hand-searched across the past five years, and three searches were conducted on Google Scholar. In addition, 13 key opinion leaders were contacted via email to request any additional published or unpublished data. The twenty-eight studies included in the final synthesis reported mostly qualitative data from geographically diverse non-representative samples, predominantly relating to sexual violence with other typologies seldom investigated or reported. Although quantitative data were limited, sexual violence appeared common in this context and was directly associated with impaired mental health and suicidality. Some participants reported first- or second-hand accounts of non-consensual administration of incapacitating doses of GHB/GBL to men who were subsequently raped. This was frequently perpetrated by men whose age, status, or financial privilege afforded them power over their victims. While reports from some participants suggested context-specific blurring of the lines of consent, a few quotes demonstrated a dearth of knowledge surrounding the centrality of consent in lawful sex. Given the historical denigration of MSM, any efforts to further investigate or address this issue must be community-led.

KW - Chemsex

KW - Drugs

KW - Men who have sex with men

KW - Sexual minority men

KW - Sexual violence

KW - Sexualised drug use

KW - Violence

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ER -

Consent and violence amongst men in the context of sexualised drug use: A systematic scoping review

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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