“This is the test of your manhood: how much is there left in you after you have lost everything outside of yourself?”- Orison Swett Marden
Dear abuser,
I was at an age where I did not understand why you were touching me, And yet you did not explain to me why you were touching me.
I thought it was normal until I grew up and was old enough to realize it was actually sexual abuse.
My parents trusted you.
You could play with me all day long.
My parents would leave me in your care.
After all, you were a relative.
I often see you, but what bothers me is what really goes through your mind.
I still feel like it happened not long ago.
I thank God that maybe I came out right
What about the boys who never came out ok.
I am now married and I even have children but it is still very fresh in my mind.
I often see you, but what bothers me is what really goes through your mind.
I am very cautious of any relative who wants to come stay in my house.
I am afraid what was done to me will also be done to them.
I started teaching them early about their bodies.
I am very protective of my children.
I often see you, but what bothers me is what really goes through your mind.
I was never told that certain parts of my body were private and not to be touched by any other person.
I did not know what you were doing to me was wrong.
I did not even bother to tell my parents.
I was young and still in kindergarten.
I often see you, but what bothers me is what really goes through your mind.
What bothers me is why you didn’t look for other adults who could consent.
I discovered it was wrong but you had already left our house.
I came to learn it was wrong in my teens.
Why did you pick on a child?
I often see you, but what bothers me is what really goes through your mind.
When you tell someone you were sexually abused they get puzzled.
They would make comments such as a boy is supposed to man up.
They would ask me questions like how can a boy be abused?
What they don’t know is how this affects a boy mentally.
What they don’t know is we are creating a traumatized society.
I have always wondered what was going on in your mind when you were doing this to a child.
Did you even think of the effect this would have on the child?
What is your take on sexual abuse of boys?