​Are you a survivor of emotional, sexual or physical abuse? Are you a boy, man, girl or woman? A friend or family member of an abused person? If so, please read on.

When we think of abuse our first thoughts are of girls, but are you aware that boys are also being abused, and in equal numbers?

There are indicators that men and woman have a different reaction to this trauma later in life, but since I hate generalisations, I will try to avoid them.

I am a survivor of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, but I must tell you, there is a word in this sentence that I do not like at all: "survivor." It implies too much. It implies that when you survive, you have won. That you should be happy, you should be someone others look up to, you should be on a pedestal.

But these are not true for all of us. We are human beings with feelings and fears. Some may be left with severe physical, emotional and mental problems. Some may struggle with substance abuse, or need to stay in a mental health facility from time to time, but we can get there. We have a future, there will be times of happiness, again.

You are not alone.
I have written a book of poems for and about abused boys. To read them is to look into my life and to see that YOU too, can come out of it, to give you hope that it is possible. And at the same time recognize that we are all still struggling, and that is not a bad thing at all. Struggle means we haven't given up, haven't given in. I am right there with you. :)

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