April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Each year, during this time, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, their friends and family, and victim advocates from across the nation mark the occasion by speaking out about childhood sexual abuse and participating in candlelight vigils, walk-a-thons or fundraising drives. The issue of child sexual abuse, however, is one that needs to be confronted beyond this month.

The prevalence of male childhood sexual abuse is quite shocking. In the United States, one in six men have had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences before the age of 18, and even more stunning than the scope of the crime is the challenge of confronting it. Eighty-eight percent of child sexual abuse is never reported due to feelings of shame, self-blame or fear of not being believed.

Therefore, we must begin by believing:

• Believe that the sexual abuse of boys is occurring in your community despite few reported incidents.
• Believe it was not his fault.
• Believe his story.
• Believe that we have a responsibility to speak up when we see and hear abusive language and behavior.
• Believe that law enforcement and the criminal justice system must be held accountable to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of child sexual abuse.
• Believe that our elected officials must seek funding necessary to provide victim services, as well as legislation that protects victims regardless of their age, gender, sexual orientation or immigration status.
• Believe that your time and money makes a difference to organizations, like Stop It NOW!  that strive to prevent childhood sexual abuse.
• Most importantly, believe that you can do something to end the sexual abuse of boys. Speak out, demonstrate, protest, call your representatives, attend community events or write a letter to the editor about the issue of childhood sexual abuse.

For those that are ready to learn more about what they can do to prevent child sexual abuse please participate in the first of a series of free web conferences on ending child sexual abuse hosted by PreventConnect.org and sponsored by the Ms. Foundation for Women. Together, we can put an end to child sexual abuse, but we must not become complacent when the month is over. April is not the end of our opportunity to work proactively on creating a community free of child sexual abuse. Instead, this month is just the beginning—the beginning of our belief that change can and will happen.

--By: Emiliano C. Diaz de Leon

Emiliano C. Diaz de Leon is a Cultural Capacity Specialist for 1in6, Inc Emiliano C. Diaz de Leon is a Cultural Capacity Specialist for 1in6. Besides his work with 1in6, Emiliano has more than a decade of experience working for multiple domestic and sexual violence centers in Texas.  Since 2008, Emiliano has worked as a Primary Prevention Specialist for the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA) and since October 2011 providing technical assistance to the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Engaging Men Program grantees around the country as a Men’s Engagement Specialist. 

The mission of 1in6 is to help men who have had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences in childhood live healthier, happier lives. 1in6's mission also includes serving family members, friends, and partners by providing information and support resources on the web and in the community. Joyful Heart and 1in6 invite you to visit 1in6.org for info, options and hope, and to learn more about our partnership and Engaging Men initiative at men.joyfulheartfoundation.org.

The views expressed above are not necessarily those of the Joyful Heart Foundation or 1in6.