WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MaleSurvivor, a leading, global not-for-profit organization dedicated to overcoming sexual victimization of boys and men, issued a statement today through Advisory Board Member Dr. Howard Fradkin regarding the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse allegations. The former Penn State coach is currently under investigation for abusing eight boys over a 15-year period.
Dr. Fradkin, who has been treating male sexual abuse victims for nearly three decades, recently appeared alongside Tyler Perry and 200 male survivors on The Oprah Winfrey Show to provide insights into the subject of sexual victimization of boys and men. As one of the founding board members of MaleSurvivor, and someone well versed in the area of sexual abuse particularly with regard to young boys, Dr. Fradkin encouraged the media and the general public to understand the importance of focusing on solutions and recovery for the victims:
“The sexual abuse allegations centered on retired Penn State football Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky’s actions are horribly familiar to millions of victims of childhood sexual abuse. The majority of media attention has focused on Sandusky and those who knew about Sandusky’s rape of these boys. It is equally important to underscore the harm done to the victims.
“1 in every 6 men in America is the victim of unwanted sexual contact before the age of 16. Over 20 million men in the U.S. alone struggle with the pain of having been abused, each suffering effects such as: depression, substance abuse, difficulty maintaining healthy relationships, and suicidal thoughts. The after affects of sexual abuse permeate virtually every aspect of our society and impact the lives not only of the victims themselves but also their spouses, friends, co-workers, and the community itself.
“As we learn more about the truth of the allegations in Pennsylvania, we [MaleSurvivor] hope to highlight the pain and needs of the victims. Survivors of abuse often spend much of their lives struggling in silence with a sense of shame that makes it almost impossible to reach out and ask for help.
“Help is available and healing is possible. As bad as the immediate affects of abuse can be on victims, the burden of carrying the secret for years is oftentimes equally painful. MaleSurvivor offers resources and information for survivors, and is a community of healing that has helped thousands of men step out of the shadows of abuse and back into a life of hope, health, and happiness.”
About MaleSurvivor
MaleSurvior (www.MaleSurvivor.org) is not-for-profit organization committed to preventing, healing, and eliminating all forms of sexual victimization of boys and men through support, treatment, research, education, advocacy, and activism. Founded in 1994, the organization has reached over 50 million individuals whose lives have been forever impacted by sexual abuse.