New Book Encourages Men to Speak Out about Childhood Sexual Abuse

Jan L Frayne wants men to know there is no shame in admitting they suffered abuse.

According to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, 17,727 sexual crimes against children under 16 were recorded in England and Wales in 2010-11. Timed to coincide with the U.S Child Abuse and Awareness month in April, author Jan L Frayne offers readers his poetic memoir Beyond Survivor – Rising from the Ashes of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Collection of Writings (published by AuthorHouse).

In Beyond Survivor Frayne, who boasts Welsh Poet Dylan Thomas in his ancestry, offers his own history, hoping to help other victims of abuse find the courage and strength to seek help to triumph over it, and to increase awareness and education among the general public. “Child abuse is in the headlines almost every week,” he says.

“Very few men are prepared to come forward and be counted. I hope this shows them there is no shame in doing so.”

An excerpt from Beyond Survivor, the poem “A New Dawn”:

My heart’s empty hallways echo forlornly.
My eyes but broken windows to my soul.
Blinded by my own fractured self,
So that I would be ignorant to truth,

My flesh aching and writhing in remembrance,
Spirit disfigured and grounded with clipped wings,
Silent tears fall for innocence long dead.
But beneath the chaos a light flickers dimly.

From the all-consuming madness comes hope,
A new tomorrow, a new dawn, a new hope.
Out of the ashes of a childhood destroyed,
I will rise, stand firm, and be strong.

Author Patricia A. McKnight, in her review of the book, says, “This expertly written book shows the path of standing strong and achieving what all mankind desires; retrieving the happiness once destroyed by the wicked. This collection of outstanding poetry and prose is a must read for all as inspiration to prevail against the challenges put forth in the battle to obtain our own freedom.”

About the Author
Mr Jan L Frayne is a 44-year-old male survivor of childhood sexual abuse. An advocte for survivors of childhood sexual abuse worldwide, he has written both prose and poetry since he was 11 years old.