Oprah's Magazine Shares Stories from Male Survivors

David France talks with men who have survived sexual abuse and their wives in Oprah's magazine "O". 1 in 6 men will be sexually abused in their lifetime, and more often than not, they stay silent about it. In this article, three men share their stories and their struggle with their relationships. Their marriages have suffered, but their wives have stood by and are invovled in the healing process. A lot of times, intimacy issues come up when the victims become involved in a healthy relationship. The individuals responsible for the abuse have not only altered the victims life, but all the people around that person. This goes for their wives, girlfriends, partners, parents, children and anyone else they may be close to. It affects so many more people than we think, and seems to take on a domino effect.
With any victim of sexual violence, it's hard to come forward and report the abuse, but with men and young boys, there are even more victims who stay silent. They tend to feel ashamed and embarrassed that they couldn't stop the perpetrator and even worry that the abuse defines their sexuality. Sexual abuse knows no boundaries and doesn't discriminate. These men were strong enough to come forward and discuss the most intimate stages in their lives. We should all be thankful that they were brave enough to shatter the silence.
http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200810_omag_sexual_abuse/1