You know, the constant coverage of the Sandusky trial really pisses me off.

Nothing better recently has shown up the disparity between CSA and ASA. I have heard no one bitching about broadening the rape shield laws to allow ASA survivors to keep their name out of the public eye. I have heard no one griping about how male ASA survivors have zero healing resources geared specifically for us. Hell, I couldn't even get a lot of people to put up a teal ribbon on Facebook in support of ASA.

But yet I'm supposed to get all up in arms about the Sandusky matter. As this trial winds towards Sandusky being found guilty, is anyone else upset about it?

Brian

I believe all victims of sexual abuse and crimes should be tree equally. I am a CSA survivor but I know the pain of being violated, as a child I had an immature mind and survival mechanisms kicked in. But it haunted me for a life time, took away who I was and I believe this happens to all victims of ASA. I believe a guilty verdict is what should be delivered. It will send a message that sexual abuse will not be tolerated. I agree the message needs to be all encompassing and I do not believe any victim would want to see another person so violated. I am sorry that the messages have not been more encompassing.

? Hmmm, no. I certainly cannot say I am upset about this trial winding down to what seems an inevitable guilty verdict. And I am not upset about the constant media coverage, although the subject of the coverage is by its very nature upsetting. Just because something is unpleasant does not mean it should not be dealt with openly and candidly.

I think the Sandusky trial is an enormously important story for CSA and ASA survivors alike. Would a CSA survivor be "pissed off" with similar coverage of a hypothetical trial involving adult male victims? Should he be?

With all respect, please be aware of the fact that the "constant coverage" is seen by many on the boards here as a much-overdue public reconciliation of a subject so few seemed to even want to acknowledge. Also be aware that this is not just a case about CSA. It is an indictment of an entire administrative empire (Penn State) which was well-entrenched in a culture of denial. A lot of people saw what was happening to these poor kids, and no one stepped up to the plate for YEARS. You don't have to look much further than the correctional facilities to see a similar pattern of denial with adult male rape.

Those poor kids were left to deal ALONE with what Sandusky did to them. You emphasize "disparity" which I find surprising. CSA or ASA - it is a theme I would think you would fully embrace, a public airing you would fully applaud. The blind eye and deaf ear to male victimization - whether a child or an adult - can be tragically similar.

The real reason that this trial is getting so much attention has little to do with it being about CSA. Rather, it's due to the man at the center of it, as it would be with any celebrity.

Right now I'm sure that there are a number of criminal cases occuring across America concerning accusations of sexual assault and abuse against children and adults alike. We just don't hear of them because they involve unknowns. Anyways please don't take me as dismissing what you have to say about ASA. I'm just offering a little persepctive is all.

Brian,

Yes I am. I contend that I don't have to experience ASA to have compassion for you and others, nor should you have to have experience with CSA to comprehend my struggle and issues.

When I first read your post I thought maybe you were objecting to CSA being in the news....after rereading it several times I begin to see the underlying meaning in your statements....ASA survivors get victimized twice.....once by their perps, and second by being totally and completely ignored. Once I beagan to really think about that, and remember some of the stories I have read about ASA on these forums, and how crippling and destructive to relationships and trust it is.....yeah, you guys that deal with this are disenfranchised. ASA is often denied to the point that public opinion doubts the very existance of ASA Male Survivors.

I object to that. Strenuously. I also feel as someone else pointed out, that the news keeps the Sandusky business on top not because it is CSA but because of Penn State.

There need to be more and better healing resources for ASA survivors.

Rape Sheild Laws should be changed to protect Men from improper disclosure of their names.

It is and extreme and difficult disclosure for Male Survivors to take the stand in open court. While the courts seem sympathetic at times to women and boys, Men who have been the victim of emotional traumatic sexual assault are often challenged in the court of public opinion by the media without accountability. A few moments pondering what this can look and feel like will make it obvious why some men never come forward.

Jerry Sandusky abused those boys, the trial should be happening, and I hope he is convicted and punished.

I also hope that these posts get read, that they become part of legal arguments, and that legislation is precipitated to protect ALL victims of Sex Assault regardless of their Gender or Age. PERIOD.

I will put a teal ribbon on my facebook...(I will pm you my facebook information)

I appreciate your input and am glad to have understood your point of view...you opened my mind.

Thank you.
G

Thank you!! This is precisely it.

I am not upset that it is being aired. It pisses me off that those boys had to be put through that kind of hell.

That said - I view the Sandusky coverage as a "first step."

Step 1 - to start TALKING about it. Period!
While I fully agree that the only reason the Sandusky trial has seen so much coverage is because of Sandusky being a "celebrity", at the same time - it has gotten people to TALK ABOUT THIS!

You do not see coverage of male adult rape cases in the media, but even the women had to go through this delayed line of priorities and thoughts first. CSA of young girls became talked about LONG before adult rape of women did.

I have a feeling it is going to be the same thing with male ASA and male CSA.

MOST humans are naturally more inclined to pay closer attention to that which affects children. Therefore it stands to reason that male CSA will get the spotlight and be more openly talked about long before male ASA will be.

Do I like it? No! But it is what it is, and I can accept it as it is because to me, the simple fact that people are TALKING ABOUT THE CSA is a FIRST STEP on the road towards smashing down the walls that keep male ASA in shadows.

This is a MUCH NEEDED STEP towards getting male CSA *AND* male ASA dealt with in society.

ALL survivors of sexual abuse and rape, regardless of age or gender deserve the same healing. ALL survivors regardless of age or gender should be handled with the same respect.

They are not - which is WRONG! - male ASA surivors right now are where the women ASA survivors were about 40 years ago.

Male CSA survivors right now are where the female CSA survivors were about 20 years ago.

We are moving forward. 20 years ago the Sandusky case would have been in the news, but it would have been watered down, brushed over, gently swept across the newspaper headlines and been treated as an "open secret." it is NOT being treated as an "open secret" now, the boys are being spoken of, the details of the case is being TALKED ABOUT.

MALE sexual abuse is now being TALKED ABOUT.

That is a HUGE step!!

Male ASA will follow in time.

you know i hate to say it but i wholly agree with this thread. Im glad justice was served but a tad tired of hearing about it and the abused boys. i hope they find healing and peace but ASA is a relevant matter and the world doesnt want to see so it does not see that which it veils itself to.

-

Whoa...some of the replies on this thread have offended me..why is it that many of the recent posts/threads here are constantly conflicted? Go back and look at them for the last six months and on other forums and you will read debates on CSA/ASA issues and conditions. A few have been cut by the Mod's.
This pushes ASA members away from being able to bond and heal..it has triggered isolation at a new level in my life.

If you ask me l believe CSA is much more damaging to survivors.
l have shared face to face countless times with both men,women and teenagers who survived different forms of sex crimes.
Even other survivors of serial killers and deadly assaults..l spent three weeks with a family in their home, they provided airfare to their State, they had three generations of incest..two of the sons are in Texas prison one for life the other is condemened. The grandfather did it all.
My best survivor brother also survived a serial killer and went to the execution in California. I have had four men crying on my porch. I had a woman share how SSA affected her hetrosexual identity. I have talked to lots of parents of young survivors and non-victims about hostage, rape and torture survival plus the post-sexual abuse/assault trauma common among survivors.
You'd be surprised how parents are uninformed about what to do when sex crimes become a reality. The guidelines put all this information one step in front of the victim.
Even sat in on an offenders program and discussed another side of this evil coin.
I have given freely to survivors, non-victims and professionals The 203 Survivorship Guidelines Series. I have a 149 page version all handwritten that l compiled to heal myself...then others wanted a copy. Its all about the message not the mess.
If you ask me..we are all sex crime victims...and the moment we tell someone we become a survivor.