Born Into Trouble, Occupy Yourself, book #1
Benny’s story dealt with hard topics. Sexual abuse of a minor, that minor being a male, is still abuse, and can have long ranging repercussions. If you are an adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse, please know you are not alone. RAINN.org, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network can help you find the resources to begin the emotional healing process. Many perpetrators of sexual abuse do so from a position of trust and power. In Benny’s case, his abuser was an older teen; a girl with easy access to first alcohol, and then drugs. As a near-peer with great influence, she was able to steer Benny down that path with her until he was so mired in his addictions, he couldn’t see any way out.
When you read Born Into Trouble, I pray you don’t see a reflection of yourself or anyone you know, but if you do, please know that there is help, and hope. Among many available resources, both AA.org and NA.org stand out as beacons for people who are in need. If those organizations aren’t a workable solution for your situation, then tell someone you trust and allow them help you find what will work. Hold on. You can do anything, as long as you hold on.
For those who have never seen the face of addiction, the FBI released a movie that shows how these dangerous behaviors are not restricted by economic boundaries, nor do they recognize sex or age as defining factors. Addiction can reach into any family, through multiple vectors, and as with so many things, our first line of defense is knowledge. Watch, and learn, and pass it on. Hold on.