Sean grew up in a quiet Midwestern farming town—far from the places people assume trafficking occurs. In this workshop, he challenges those misconceptions and explores how communities and service providers can shift from narrow, outdated ideas of who “counts” as a victim to a more accurate understanding grounded in lived experience. Sean shares a timeline of his abuse beginning at age four, including ritual abuse and CSAM, homelessness at sixteen, and his entry into the U.S. Navy at eighteen, where he experienced additional assault.
He discusses the long‑standing barriers male survivors face: stigma, limited services, and the damaging expectation that boys and men should “get over it.” Sean also examines why statistics often erase victims, how language around “disproportionate” harm can marginalize survivors, and the challenges he faced when the VA denied his military sexual assault disability claim because his abuse began in childhood. With candor and openness, Sean addresses systemic gaps, cultural narratives, and the urgent need for inclusive support. He welcomes questions and adapts his presentation to participant needs, offering practical ways organizations can better serve all survivors and change what we can no longer accept.
