Syrian men and boys, in their homeland and abroad, have suffered "a vicious cycle" of sexual abuse with more devastating consequences than previously reported, the UN said Thursday (December 7th).

In its new report, "We Keep it in our Heart," the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it had documented widespread sexual violence against Syrian males, including those seeking refuge, AFP reported.

"There have been documented reports of how Syrian women and girls have suffered sexual violence and displacement. However, this particular issue is a lesser known element of this grim story -- the male survivors, the boy survivors," said UNHCR spokesman Andrej Mahecic.

"The results are clear. There is a vicious cycle here," he said.

Based on input from 196 refugees and interviews with 73 humanitarian personnel, the report says sexual abuse has been a "disturbing" feature of Syria's nearly seven-year conflict.

Men and boys have suffered sexual violence in detention centres and checkpoints manned by armed factions -- but also in countries hosting them as refugees.

And in countries of asylum, Syrian men and boys reported being blackmailed into sexual relationships or exploited by employers.

Survivors were afraid of social stigma if they came forward, and humanitarian service providers were sometimes short-staffed or dismissive of male claims.

"Victims refrain from approaching services and they blame themselves. This reinforces the myth that this is a rare problem, while this study shows the opposite," said Mahecic.