NAASCA - National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse via @NAASCAOfficial

National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse

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I am very pleased to promote NAASCA after a discussion with founder Bill Murray recently. This is only an introduction and over the coming months I will be posting more from them. Though based in the USA their reach and work is now Global.


Who started this?

My name is Bill .. and I'm the founder of a highly respected non profit effort that's been active since the events of 9-11-2001. Our popular web site, originally a regional effort (called LACP.org), is updated daily and has been continuously published since early 2002. It now has almost 6,000 pages of information and articles devoted to the broad issues of how the community can help assure homeland security, public safety, reduce crime and in general improve the quality of American life.

Bill Murray, survivor, public safety advocate (LACP.org), founder of National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA.org), host of the Internet talk radio show "Stop Child Abuse Now" (BlogTalkRadio.com/Bill-Murray), and founder of ASCAA, a 12 Step recovery program for adult survivors of child abuse (ASCA12step.org), shared his story with RAACE.  I was sexually abused for several years, starting when I was 11. I didn't tell anyone, and internalized my fear, anger and shame. An introvert with a temper, I started doing badly in school and getting into trouble. I hated myself, and began drinking heavily as soon as I could get my hands on alcohol.

I drank and used drugs throughout my 20s. I knew that my substance abuse was related to my sexual abuse, but I couldn't find the help I needed. In my early teens, I'd told my complete story to a priest during a long Confession, but it turned out I'd chosen a predator priest! The psychiatrist I saw later didn't help. There were no services for male sexual abuse victims in the 70s, so I tried seeking help from a rape counselor. But I was turned away. 

In the early 80s, I was graced to find an Alcoholics Anonymous home group where the elders understood that, for me, talking about my child abuse and trauma was an important part of my recovery. They encouraged me to share about it, seeing that it might help others, too. This was a turning point. Although I still didn't talk about the experience outside the anonymity of the organization, I was taught that the 12 Steps, the basis of AA, are “a design for living,” and, as such, can be used to help a person recover from anything. They became not only the basis for my recovery from substance abuse but also my recovery from sexual assault. I've been sober since 1984. About 20 years into my recovery I began to go public with the story of my childhood sexual abuse.

By then I had done a lot of public safety advocacy, so I was familiar with the role of being an activist. But I'd promised myself I'd postpone disclosing the trauma of my youth since I knew how much it would hurt my non-offending parents. They were devout Catholics and many of my abusers were members of the clergy. I knew the time had arrived when after my father passed away and my mother was moving into the later stages of Alzheimer's disease. I was ready to share my story of abuse and recovery in the general public.

That's when I launched the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse (NAASCA). Our all-volunteer group works to educate, inform and prevent all forms of child abuse and trauma—physical abuse, psychological trauma, sexual assault, verbal abuse, and neglect. We support anyone from any walk of life with their recovery, too. We educate the public about the pandemic of child abuse, teaching what can be done to prevent it. All the services and information we offer are free. Our hope is to be a hub for resources, and feature an online list of every English language abuse support and recovery group in the world.

We also produce an Internet-based “Stop Child Abuse Now” talk radio show six nights a week, with guests who are survivors and/or activists or recovery professionals. We provide a nightly opportunity for listeners to call in, or to post questions via our chat room. All our over 1400 episodes are available in an ever-growing library for “on demand” listening. We're building a community, because personal recovery depends on being able to connect with others. That's what we strive to provide—that shared opportunity to connect.

This work and engaging with a larger community have become an important part of my personal recovery. I'm not trying to solve the problem of child abuse alone. That would be naive. I'm working to encourage everyone to make the problem visible. Many people are in denial, either about the trauma of their own experiences or about the existence of abuse in their families and communities. My hope is that someday we'll turn a corner, where child abuse and childhood sexual assault will no longer be a taboo topic in our society. Vocalization—that's the path to progress.

But this isn't something any of us are going to accomplish by ourselves. It's something we need to do together, because together we can do what we cannot do alone.

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Join RAACE by becoming a RAACE Fan on Facebook and/or subscribing to our monthly newsletter and inviting those within your child's circle of trust to join in the fight against and prevention of child sexual abuse! Visit RAACE.org today or call 1.800.755.KIDS.

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http://www.raace.org/survivor-story-together-we-do-what-we-cannot-do-alone?journal=26

You might also be interested in a new 12 Step approach to recovery and healing from child abuse and trauma. ASCAA (Adult Survivors of Child Abuse Anonymous) is based on the well-established AA model. Here's the ASCAA web site: www.asca12step.org


NAASCA HOME PAGE

NAASCA ON FACEBOOK

NAASCA ON TWITTER

Support for NON Offending Families of Abused Children

I have written much about the effects that the trauma of abuse has on the victim and also their partner. Abuse can impact on the non offending parents, carers and family of the victims too.

Whilst many will indeed react will anger and denial and stupidly blame the victim, the others may well be lost as to how best deal with the situation.

I was asked today if I could recommend somewhere a non offending family could turn too.  I came up with these suggestions for the UK. I would welcome any other suggestions, worldwide as well as here in the UK.

MOSAC  -  http://www.mosac.org.uk/

Mosac is a voluntary organisation supporting all non-abusing parents and carers whose children have been sexually abused. We provide various types of support services and information for parents, carers and professionals dealing with child sexual abuse.

BARNADOS  - http://www.barnardos.org.uk

CEOP - http://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

The internet can be a fantastic place for children and young people where they can talk to friends, be creative and have fun. However, just like in the real world sometimes things can go wrong.  

SUPPORTLINE  - http://www.supportline.org.uk/

We offer confidential emotional support to children, young adults and adults by telephone, email and post. 

 Many of the Survivor support groups also offer help to families etc.

Welsh Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse #childabuse #survivors

No Support For Welsh Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Molestation

A startling statement you might think. In truth there are agencies that work with both sexes, and agencies that work with females only. There are no agencies or support groups in Wales run by men, for men only. 

Is this important you may ask? I believe it is. 

It is common knowledge that men generally find it harder to speak out and disclose childhood sexual abuse/molestation. Society expects men to be strong, silent and to cope with all that life throws at them.  Men are not expected to show emotions such as fear, anxiety,  or any form of weakness.  Males are believed to always want sex, to be the one in control and to be the instigator of sexual activity.  Some common myths surrounding male survivors of sexual abuse are :-

That they must have invited the abuse and must therefore be homosexual.

Males that have been abused turn out to be abusers themselves.

Males cannot be victims if they were aroused during the abuse.

Males molested by females are lucky to have had the attention. 

All the myths above are total rubbish!

Males often cope with childhood abuse in different ways to females and therefore require specialised help during the healing process.  There is no choice in Wales. Whilst the support offered by the various agencies in Wales may well be offered by specially trained therapists, the support is not in an exclusively male only environment.

I was referred to one agency by my G.P over eighteen months ago. The support there is offered to both sexes. I received a letter confirming that I was on their waiting list about six weeks after the referral. I'm still waiting..... I chose to seek help myself, further afield. The nearest male only, run by non-offending male survivors for non-offending males was over three hours drive away in Swindon. AMSOSA (Adult Male Survivors Of Sexual Abuse) has unfortunately now closed due to lack of funding. 

During the first six months of waiting for my GPs referral to bear fruit I learnt some disturbing information about the agency I had been referred to. Apparently two men had complained about sexual advances from male staff members on different occasions. Though I believe these staff members no longer work there, it does nothing to instil confidence. 

Another agency I contacted stated that they would only accept me if they thought my situation merited it. 

So where can other men like me turn? I did write to the Welsh Assembly a year ago but was basically told I'd need to contact my nearest mixed support agency. Which did they recommend? Guess...

I am proud to be Welsh, and I love my country. I support devolution and was pleased when healthcare became a devolved issue. Unfortunately there is no representative at the Assembly to speak out for or support adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. We have a children's commissioner who is doing a wonderful job, especially at the moment with child abuse being so much in the news. Who will speak out for the adults?

Something has to be done to address this problem otherwise most men will continue suffering in silence, hiding their pain and living damaged lives. The emotional and physical side effects of sexual abuse in adults must cost millions to the N.H.S every year. Then consider the emotional costs not only to the survivors but also to their families and loved ones.  It is believed that depression and suicide rates in male survivors of sexual abuse are considerably higher than in other groups. What "price" does the government expect survivors of sexual abuse to pay? How bad to things have to become before those that run our country sit up and pay attention?