Survivor Stories
Anonymous accounts and experiences from male victims and survivors of sexual harassment
*These accounts and experiences are translated and summarised, with consent, on behalf of the victims (made up names)
"My boss would often make random comments and remarks about my physique. I brushed it off as being something small, because I didn't think that he was being too serious about it. However, the small comments slowly escalated to slightly more invasive questions. 'Can I see your shoulders? I'm trying to grow them out like yours.'. I felt as if I did not have a choice - he was my boss after all, and I was in a tough situation. Even so, I still felt like I had to keep all my feelings in - I was not allowed to bring it up to anyone. I had to be a man and deal with it, no matter how uncomfortable and disgusting it made me feel. However, it was only when I came across other people's stories of sexual harassment did I then realized that it was a serious issue. I brought it up to a few of my colleagues and they agreed that I had to do something about it. Eventually, I built up enough courage to seek help online. The original NoTouch Helpline Open Chat suggested to bring it up to my boss, and it was only then when he recognized that he made a mistake and stopped."
- 'Mark'
"My basketball coach often pulls me aside after training. He told me that he needed to do physical checks. Being a naive child, I followed his instructions, even though some of them made me feel very uncomfortable. He measured and touched my body to 'ensure that there are no issues with my body'. This 'check up' happened almost monthly, and I never knew that I was the only one that was pulled aside. After half a year, I was talking to some of my friends when I found out that I was the only one experiencing this. I didn't know how to feel about it or what I should do about it. I tried to find help on the internet and I came across a few helplines, and found NoTouch Helpline's Line application Open Chat for help. They helped me to figure it how to find my way around this issue, and gave me the confidence to talk to my school counsellor about it, and she brought it up with my coach, which he never touched me again. "
- 'George'
"It was my freshman year and I was at a party organized by a few friends that I know roughly through other friends. Of course, since it was a college party there would be alcohol. Initially, I rejected the alcohol, since I didn't want to get drunk that night - I had school the next day. However, somehow with the party lights flashing, peer pressure got to me. I ended up drinking due to my friends. I ended up passing out on a couch. When I woke up, I was in a place I didn't recognize, stripped down to my underwear. Next to me, one of the people from the party stood over me. I was in shock. I quickly confronted him and left. However, after the incident, I felt so disgusted with my own body. I didn't know what to do about it. I asked a few friends for help, but they brushed me away and said I was feeling dramatic. I felt lost. In a last ditch effort for help, I searched the web for help and found the NoTouch Open Chat. NoTouch helped me to heal from this incident, and guided me in finding myself again. It took me a while, but eventually I was able to go back to living life normally again. "
- 'Adam'
"I was 14 when my parents sent me to a temple to undergo ordination for a month. After a week in the temple, a monk led me into the yard behind the temple and told me that it was a normal rite of passage during ordination. He made me remove my robe, kneel down and pray for 10 minutes. During the 10 minutes, I could feel him walking around me and staring at me. However, there was not much I could do since I would be with him for the next 2 weeks, and I was convinced it was normal - yet, a part of me felt off about it. This happened consistently for the next 2 weeks, about once every fortnight. After the ordination, I felt the need to feel assured about the incidents. I talked to my parents about it, and learnt that it was not normal. My parents tried their best to support me, yet I still felt empty. I came online to look for support, and came across NoTouch. They supported me throughout my healing process, and I slowly but surely began to heal from it."
- 'John'
"Living with abusive parents, my tutor was a second mother to me. I was not even a teenager when she won my trust, I settled at her home once every few days for math classes. Gradually, her care for me increased. Before I knew it, hugs turned into kisses and kisses turned into things I couldn’t even comprehend. As I grew extremely uncomfortable with the situation, she threatened to blame me to my parents. I had no choice but to stay trapped. 3 years later, I couldn’t bear the pain and broke the truth to my parents who were surprisingly reassuring. As I move forward from those moments, to this day I’m still haunted by the mockery of society’s view: “Stop it, you enjoyed the abuse.” With my English Proficiency I'm glad to have found this website that can help Thai kids who speak English too! After mailing them my story, I had talks with many members within this community, where I have found many people like me, guiding me to move past my trauma."
- 'Timmy'