As a survivor of child sexual abuse, your life was altered by someone who used their power to pervert what should have been a relationship of safety, trust, and respect. You were a child who deserved to be nurtured and cared for, yet someone made a choice to take that from you. Their actions have likely caused you to feel ashamed, afraid, and confused – and those feelings have likely followed you ever since. You may have difficulty forming intimate relationships, struggle to sense and express your own feelings, feel confused about how the abuse reflects on your masculinity or sexual orientation, depend upon addictions to help numb the pain, or struggle with a number of other difficulties. You are not alone.

Approximately one in six men will experience sexual abuse before age 18 (see https://1in6.org/get-information/the-1-in-6-statistic/).  It can happen to anyone. Victims include men and boys of all ages, races and ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, economic classes, and religions. You may even come from a family that seemed ideal to the outside world, yet any family can hide the secret of child sexual abuse.  The point is – there are men of all types who share the burden you carry, that of having been sexually abused as a child.  And, because of this, there are other men with whom you can identify, other men who can relate to the pain you’ve felt and the struggles you’ve experienced. Although no single experience will be identical to yours, there is strength to be found among people who have lived similar experiences of childhood sexual abuse and who, like you, have survived it.

The “Surviving and Thriving” support group is an opportunity to share your story in a safe and confidential place with men who will believe you and who can relate. It’s an opportunity to hear the experiences of others and receive strength in knowing that you’re not alone, that others have grown and even thrived despite the difficulties of childhood sexual abuse, and that you, too, can apply some of the principles from their lives to aid in your own recovery. “Surviving and Thriving” is an opportunity to discuss sensitive topics with individuals who can understand.

We invite you to consider making the “Surviving and Thriving” support group the next step along your journey of recovery. You did NOT deserve to be abused, and you do deserve help to live a healthy and happy life. Call 1-877-234-5050 to schedule an introductory appointment with one of our counselors or to receive more information.