I've at last received permission from Male Survivor to assist them in raising awareness about the issues faced by survivors of childhood sexual abuse. I myself was a victim, and the impact on my life until recently has been catastrophic.
For many years I was emotionally closed off from everyone, friends and family alike. I turned to theft and deception to provide me with the emotional excitement I was lacking, and it did a lot to keep people from getting too close as well. Growing up was a blur of trouble and mental chaos as I did all I could to distract myself from dealing with the pain involved in the abuse.
Eventually I decided that the best way to feel like I was normal was to do what was considered normal, thus I began my pursuit of a career and marriage. However, the intimacy tied to marriage brought back the pain that I had spent most of my life trying to bury. My marriage failed, and my wife left with our daughters. This was the first time that I noticed all of the pain around me that still didn't seem to penetrate the walls I had erected around myself. I knew I needed help.
I came forward to family and friends, which was a difficult step, and my healing began. It has not been an easy journey, and it is one I must focus on daily. The flood of emotion that came forward with facing the abuse was overwhelming, and I spent time buried in drugs and alcohol to try and forget again. Thankfully, there have been people in my life that have cared enough to lend a hand when it was needed, and I owe these people my life.
This is only the briefest story of my life, and I bring it up now because many other survivors of sexual abuse go through similar, if not worse, experiences. I had already gone through much before I discovered the Male Survivor site, and it has been an excellent tool for connecting with other victims, as well as family and friends of survivors.
At last another goal I can add to this journey is my desire to bring help and public awareness to the issues faced by survivors. If you are a victim yourself or know someone who was victimized, Male Survivor is an excellent first step in the healing process. Though the site began as a support site for men, there is now a forum for female survivors as well. Family and friends are also welcome to explore the site and contribute knowledge and support.
Anyone who would like to make a donation to the cause can do so through the Male Survivor site itself, or through the Network for Good site located here. There is also a Facebook Cause site located here where donations can be made as well.
I am very grateful for the friends I've made on this long and difficult path, and I hope that the awareness I am able to raise on this trip brings healing to others like myself who have spent years struggling and lost within themselves.
Peace.
