Hosea Chanchez Opens Up About Sexual Abuse

Actor Hosea Chanchez, who portrayed Malik Wright on the widely successful BET show The Game, disclosed via Instagram that he had been molested as a teenager. As he shared a very personal photo from his childhood, Chanchez opened up about the trauma of being sexually molested by his friend’s father when he was 14-years old.

The man was a father figure to him according to his account of their relationship.

“He would always tell me I was like his other son, so I can trust he’s always looking for me,” he said. “Further building my trust and commitment to his predatory agenda.”

Related Story: Terry Crews Blasts Comedian D.L. Hughley for Mocking His Sexual Assault Claim

The actor described how the predator’s behavior changed after Chancez turned 14.

“A week before this day, my friend’s dad was asking me what type of girls I liked and if I had sex with a girl yet,” he said. “I didn’t know at the time but he was trying to see where my boundaries were. He was using false hyper-masculinity as a way to sniff out my comfort level with sex and privacy.”

Hosea Chanchez identified the man who violated him as Isaac Sanders. He described the first time he was molested by Sanders was during a car ride home.

The 37-year old actor lived with the stigma of being victimized for years in silence before his public admission last week. Sexual abuse is often never discussed among Black boys and men.

“I hope this truth helps to stop child molesting predators from sexually assaulting more children,” he said. “Pedophiles have no place in our society they hide in the open and rape children who are afraid to speak up because of shame, guilt, fear, denial and the thought that no one will believe them. I’m doing this to help parents and young children become aware of some of the signs and better protect themselves from sexual predators.”

The courageous actor received an outpour of love and support from fellow actors like Megan Good, Naturi Naughton, and Jill Marie Jones.

According to an article in Vice, Black boys often suffer through the trauma of sexual abuse and violence in silence.

Chanchez elaborated on how sexual abuse and trauma affect the survivor’s mental health and the taboo of coming forward in the Black community.

“Mental health is the backdrop for what’s happening here,” he told the LA Sentinel. “Specifically, in the African American community, and with people of color, and even more specifically, with men, not only is it not acceptable in society to grieve and heal and mourn in the traditional standard as it is for women, but it’s also not as many resources for certain people.”

It takes incredible strength to come forward after being violated. The emotional and psychological effects of abuse can be tremendous burdens for the survivors and they often need therapy and other types of support to combat their trauma.

Chanchez currently stars on the CW Network’s hit television show “Black Lightning.”

 

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