Unfortunately, this perpetrator was not the only one to take advantage of Jerome. As an adult, Jerome discovered that the man had abused other boys as well. The perpetrator made Jerome feel like his favorite, only to take advantage of Jerome’s fondness for him by sexually abusing him. “He was very funny and I just enjoyed being around him… At one point, I really did have strong feelings for him, which of course led to me keeping that secret.”īecause Jerome liked the perpetrator initially, he did not identify what was happening to him as abuse.
He drove them to movies, took them swimming and out to eat, and quickly became a trusted friend to them. The perpetrator targeted male students from single parent households and established a father-like relationship with the boys. The perpetrator was a financial contributor to the church and was friendly with the principal, so few thought to question his presence at the school and his friendship with students. Jerome Whitehead is an author, husband, and survivor of multiple childhood sexual assaults.Īt 13 years old, Jerome was groomed by a man with a highly respected reputation at Jerome’s school. You don’t even realize that you’re being groomed to keep secrets.” “When you’re groomed, you’re taught to keep secrets.
