I'm a 38 year old man. I grew up in a nice neighborhood, the son of a fairly well known local politician who was also an emotionally, physically, and sexually abusive parent to me and my siblings.
Although I had my share of abuse related issues and self-destructive behavior I never blamed the abuse. I've strived to come to an understanding that while the abuse caused the feelings I had, I'm the one who chose to deal with it in the destructive ways that I did.
I hope that my story will someday help someone else to move past all the negativity abuse brings to our lives. I made a choice to take the evil I had endured and turn it onto something positive. Instead of allowing it to destroy me I found ways to focus on how it has made me a stronger, more compassionate person.
I hope all of you know that there is a light at the other end. You can choose to view yourself as a victim of abuse, feeling sorry for yourself - swallowing your shame in bottles and pills, and acting out your feelings through various self-destructive sex acts. Or, you can view yourself as a survivor of abuse, taking pride in all that you have accomplished in spite of what you suffered.
I hope you'll read what I have to say and I hope that it helps you feel a little less alone.
