Consent Form for the Study of “Factors Influencing Castration Ideation and the Consequences of Emasculation on the eunuch.org Members”

Introduction

We invite you to take part in a research study being conducted by Dr. Richard Wassersug and Dr. Thomas Johnson. Your participation in this study is voluntary and you may withdraw from the study at any time before the survey is submitted. The study is described below. This description tells you about the risks, inconveniences, or discomfort that you might experience. Participating in the study may not benefit you directly, but we expect to learn things that will benefit others. You should discuss any questions you have about this study with Richard Wassersug (tadpole@dal.ca) or Tom Johnson (twj@sonic.net).

Purpose of the Study

Through this study, we anticipate gaining more knowledge about both factors that promote a desire for castration and the responses to androgen deprivation in men who have been castrated. By distinguishing between individuals who have acted on their castration from those who have not we hope to identify which men are most likely to seek actual castration and what type of psychological and medical support would be appropriate for them.

Study Design

The survey invitation will be posted on the Eunuch Archive (www.eunuch.org) website for three to five months. All submissions will be completely anonymous. At no point will your name or other identifying information be requested or acquired. We expect that approximately 1000 respondents will be involved in this study.

Who can participate in the Study

You can participate in this study if you visited the eunuch.org website of your own volition and elect to answer the following survey. Consistent with the access guidelines for the eunuch.org website, this survey should only be completed by individuals who are 18 years or older.

Who will be Conducting the Research

Dr. Richard Wassersug (PhD) is the Principal Investigator of this study. He and Dr. Tom Johnson (PhD) designed the following survey, although the survey will be administered completely electronically. Richard Wassersug is a Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Tom Johnson is a retired social anthropologist. Lesley Roberts and Kayla Vale are two Dalhousie students who are involved in this research study and will help with data analysis.

What will you be asked to do

The following survey consists of 146-183 questions depending on your status as a physical eunuch, chemical eunuch, penectomized male, nullified male, wannabe eunuch, or an individual interested in the subject of castration but uninterested in actually being castration. Based on a number of trials we estimate that the will take you 30-45 minutes to complete. This is the only task that you will be asked to do. Please note that extremely detailed personal questions will be asked regarding your sexual history, any sexual abuse you may have experienced, your sexual orientation, and your sexual practices.

Possible Risks and Discomforts

You may experience some emotional discomfort while answering the survey as many of the questions are specifically about your individual history, background and sexuality. You may skip questions you find too difficult to answer. You may also withdraw from the study at any time.

If at any time during this survey you feel emotionally distressed we urge you to seek some form of support, whether it be a crisis hotline, a therapist, a friend or the eunuch.org moderators. At the request of the Dalhousie Research Ethics Board, we have listed several National Crisis Hotlines available within the United States and suggest that you check the front of your phone book for local support hotlines and agencies.

Emotional Distress
1-800-LIFENET

Self-Injury SAFE (Self Abuse Finally Ends) Alternatives Program
Hotline
1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)
www.selfinjury.com
Provides recorded information on dealing with self-abuse and self-mutilation and treatment options.
Voice: 1-800-366-8288
http://www.selfinjury.com

National Mental Health Association 1-800-969-6642 (Mon-Fri, 9-5 ET) * Website: http://www.nmha.org E-mail: nhainfo@aol.com

National Suicide Hotlines
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
1-800-799-4TTY (4889) Deaf Hotline

Possible Benefits

We will make all publications based on this data available through eunuch.org by posting information about how to obtain them as soon as they are published. We will provide copies in PDF format to all who request them.

There are no direct benefits to you for participating in this study. However, our study may help us identify men who are at risk of genital injury and by possibly clarifying links between past experiences and castration ideation, may eventually help us develop therapeutic interventions to reduce the amount of psychological stress and the risk of dangerous bodily injury associated with castration ideation.

Compensation / Reimbursement

You will not incur any expenses beyond the time it takes you to complete the questionnaire. Therefore, no compensation is being offered.

Confidentiality & Anonymity

The data collected by this survey will be of a personal and sensitive nature, but will not be linked to any identifying information. All information will be deleted from the SurveyMonkey servers as soon as we terminate the survey, which we will do immediately after collecting and analyzing the data.

All data will be retained on personal computers for approximately seven years under password protected files, at which point the files will be erased.

Questions

Any questions or concerns about the study can be addressed to Richard Wassersug at (902) 494-2244 (lab), tadpole@dal.ca and Tom Johnson at twj@sonic.net. It should be noted that in contacting them by email you will be providing them with an email address that may compromise your anonymity. However, your email address is not linked to the questionnaire in anyway. Therefore, Dr. Wassersug and Dr. Johnson will not be able to connect you with your survey responses unless you provide them with sufficient information to do so.

Problems or Concerns

If you have any difficulties with, or wish to voice concern about, any aspect of your participation in this study, you may contact Patricia Lindley Director of Dalhousie University’s Office of Human Research Ethics Administration, for assistance (902) 494-1462, patricia.lindley@dal.ca

Consent Form for the Study of Factors Influencing Castration Ideation and the Consequences of Voluntary Emasculation.

I have read the explanation about this study. I have been given the opportunity to discuss it with Richard Wassersug and Tom Johnson and any questions have been answered to my satisfaction. I hereby consent to take part in this study. However, I realize that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to skip questions and/or withdraw from the study at any time. I also authorize the use of quotations from any of my answers, so long as I am not identifiable, to demonstrate my individual sentiments.

By clicking on the ‘agreement’ button I electronically sign that I accept the terms presented above.

Consent Form for the Study of Factors Influencing Castration Ideation and the Consequences of Voluntary Emasculation. I have read the explanation about this study. I have been given the opportunity to discuss it with Richard Wassersug and Tom Johnson and any questions have been answered to my satisfaction. I hereby consent to take part in this study. However, I realize that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to skip questions and/or withdraw from the study at any time. I also authorize the use of quotations from any of my answers, so long as I am not identifiable, to demonstrate my individual sentiments. By clicking on the ‘agreement’ button I electronically sign that I accept the terms presented above. I Agree

I Do Not Agree