It's one of the darkest secrets out there. I'm talking about physical and sexual abuse upon us as men. Not only do many men experience this in silence, even the topic at large is uncomfortable to discuss, isn't it? Well, whether you have a dark secret of your own or simply wish to be a source of strength and encouragement for a fellow brother who does, this episode is for you--and it's one of the most important ones I've ever produced. This IS a thing, and it's actually happening far more than you've ever thought. Yet, men feel so much shame when victimized that incidents, or even continuous abuse, goes vastly underreported. My guest is Sandy Phillips Kirkham, who is a long-time victim advocate and the author of the ambiguously titled Let Me Pray/Prey Upon You. Now, despite the title of her book, Sandy isn't about anti-faith clergy bashing. Both she and I actually have stories, and have seen similar patterns among assailants. What are those patterns, and what are the insidious ways predators 'groom' their potential victims? When does normal affection and/or discipline cross the line of being abusive? How come predators are simply covered for or moved elsewhere rather than being prosecuted? Why haven't the Jeffrey Epstein story and others like it fueled the level of outrage they should have? What's up with female teachers who have sex with their students? And yes, we as men often encounter women who are abuse survivors themselves. What if we and/or someone we are dating is a sexual assault survivor...how can we have a healthy long-term sexual relationship? And for sure, how we can encourage women in our lives who have experienced assault to either report and/or in their recovery? Expect a well-rounded discussion that delivers straight talk about the topic. Free reports, the daily newsletter, show notes and the link to get on my calendar for a free 25-minute discovery call are all there for you at https://mountaintoppodcast.com === HELP US SEND THE MESSAGE TO GREAT MEN EVERYWHERE === We'll keep the solid, actionable content coming...all for free. If you love what you hear, please give us a 'thumbs up' by rating the show (takes one second) and leaving us a review. As we say here in Texas, we appreciate you!