ROCK HILL, S.C. — Editor's note: This story discusses child abuse, including child sexual abuse. While nothing graphic is discussed, readers are advised this story does discuss this topic.
Reports of child abuse have increased after a drop last year during the pandemic. An agency in Rock Hill tells us at this pace, it’s expecting to see 17 percent more victims this year than in 2020. But advocates are still very much concerned that abuse targeting boys is underreported.
Safe Passage says in 2020, 63 percent of child victims referred to them were girls. Boys made up only 37 percent of the reports received. Because of the fear of underreported abuse among boys, a local father and survivor chose to share his story.
For 27 years, CT Kirk carried the weight of the abuse he faced. He is an author, teacher and pastor in Rock Hill, and has three kids of his own. But until recently, nobody knew his secret.
“At six years old, I was molested by some neighborhood kids. And I just remember wanting to tell my grandfather at the time, but them telling me that if I ever told anybody, people would pick at me, laugh at me," Kirk said.
He told WCNC Charlotte his relationship with God finally encouraged him to speak up, and he was shocked to find out he wasn't alone.
“I started getting phone calls from other men saying ‘I was there, too.’ And I was like, ‘You, really? I never would have saw that!’ The football hero, the rapper, the person in church – they were all coming out and saying ‘I was there, too.’ And that just lets us know there are a lot of broken men," he said.
Lisa Glazebrook, an advocate at Safe Passage, shares Kirk's concerns. She believes there are a lot more boys who are victims. Too often, they're too afraid to say anything.
"I think there’s a stigma around that, especially depending on someone’s culture or their religion, or what their beliefs are," she said.
Kirk hopes that by sharing his story, boys can come forward sooner, and men can better reach out to help face what happened.
"You see a lot of times when women come forward with their story, you hear people say, ‘Well, that was over 20 years ago!’ But people don’t realize that if you don’t get rid of hurt, it just begins to grow in you until it consumes you,” he said.
Kirk's third book, due this fall, is expected to help other survivors.
If you or someone you love is need of support, you can call Safe Passage in Rock Hill 24 hours a day at 803-329-2800. You can also call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
Contact Indira Eskieva at ieskieva@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.