The Stealing of Innocence

I didn't choose to write The Stealing of Innocence.

It was something I had to do.

This book is my truth. It is the story of my childhood, my schooling, and the experiences that shaped — and scarred — me in ways I could not understand at the time. What happened to me took place behind respected walls, in a place meant to protect, guide, and nurture. Instead, it became where my innocence was taken.

I write about the confusion of a young boy trying to make sense of fear, silence, and betrayal. I write about the long shadows those years cast over my life — the anger, the shame, the self-doubt — and the slow, often painful process of finding my voice again.

This is not an easy story to tell, and it may not be an easy one to read. But it is a necessary one. Too many stories like mine were ignored, dismissed, or buried. I refused to let mine be one of them.

The Stealing of Innocence is not just about what was done to me. It is about survival. About resilience. About reclaiming a sense of self after it has been taken away. If this book helps even one person feel less alone, or encourages one truth to be spoken, then telling my story was worth it.