Contributors' views about this booklet

Home: Survivors: For Males: It happened to us

'It will reach out to guys. They will be able to accept that they are not alone and that they are not abnormal, that other guys have shared a common sort of experience. I hope that a booklet like this will in some way help to break the isolation. I encourage them to reach out and break the silence because there is a life out there if you look for it, and there are supportive people who you can trust and who will understand you and respect you and not reinforce your negative feelings in regard to your abuse.'

'I can actually see how this booklet could help people. I feel connected to some of the other survivors. The effort of the interviews is really worth it. I feel like I've made some contribution to help fix a serious problem.'

'I could put it (the booklet) down because it hurt so much, but I couldn't put it down because it helped so much.'

'I was reading and looking for my own quotes and then I stopped looking for my quotes and I had a sense of identifying with the other men. I feel really positive, I feel out in the public. I am one among many. I feel a lot more comfortable and I think I can feel a lot of what each person is saying.'

'For me contributing to this booklet has been another significant milestone in my recovery from the abuse I had to endure as a child and adolescent. I know I can and will recover from the sexual abuse because I am able to.'

'Reading my quotes makes me feel very clear about what happened - it's not something vague in my mind. Also seeing that it's not only me but other people too gives me a certain strength.'

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