About this event
Session Three: The Importance of Adolescence – Sexual Abuse and Teenage Boys
Overview:
This third session of the four-part course delves into the often-overlooked impact of sexual abuse on teenage boys. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage, yet it is one of the least discussed in recovery services, surrounded by myths, stigma, and misunderstandings. Building on the second workshop in this 4 part course, this session explores how teenage boys can be missed, fetishized, or presumed “lucky,” how grooming is missed and how their coping behaviors are often pathologized.
Key Topics:
1. Adolescence as a Vulnerable Developmental Stage:
- An in-depth look at the health outcomes of teenagers and why adolescence makes them particularly vulnerable.
- How teenage boys can be uniquely susceptible to sexual abuse and why their experiences are often overlooked.
2. Unique Factors Impacting Certain Teens:
- Adultification: What it is and which groups it disproportionately affects.
- Behaviors that may arise as a result of sexual abuse, such as risk-taking, withdrawal, or aggression.
3. Why Sexual Abuse During Adolescence Can Be Confusing and Hard to Identify:
- The adolescent need for contact and support, and how this can be exploited.
- Situations where illegal sexual behavior may not constitute abuse, and the complexities of consent during this stage.
- The lasting legacy of abuse experienced during adolescence, including its impact on identity, relationships, and mental health.
This session provides a deep dive into the complexities of adolescence and the specific challenges faced by teenage boys who experience sexual abuse. It draws on themes from Jeremy Sachs’ forthcoming book, An Intersectional Guide for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse and their Allies: Masculinity Reconnected, set for release in July 2025. Early reviews:
‘Packed full of insights and practical guidance and signposting, this is an engaging, accessible, and deeply compassionate text for male survivors of sexual abuse and their allies—including the professionals working with them. An essential guide for those wanting to navigate this complex, sensitive, but profoundly important field.’
– Mick Cooper, author of Psychology at the Heart of Social Change (Policy Press, 2023).
‘Given that patriarchal adaptations mean men are often taught to hide, or suppress, the shame of sexual abuse, to have so gentle, yet so pointed and strong, a masculine voice speak on so sensitive a subject says a lot about the power of the prose presented in this volume. This is an emotional, sensitive tome, written from the thoughtful and somatically considered. This book lays out that road, presents pathways for practitioners to work with what is a challenging, little understood, yet hugely important experience for a good number of men. This is therefore a worthwhile, easy to access, deep dive into the experiences of male survivors of sexual abuse, which offers routes forward for practitioners working with these issues in their practices.’
– Dr Dwight Turner – (He/Him) PhD, Dipl Supvn, Psychotherapist, Supervisor, and Workshop, Facilitator, UKCP Accredited
‘ is profoundly moving: emotionally, it draws you into the embodied narratives of male sexual abuse survivors, compelling you to immerse in their lived realities often shrouded in silence. Conceptually, it challenges the very core of persistent myths about what it means to live as, and be, a man. Therapeutically, it provokes a necessary and urgent reckoning amongst mental health professionals, urging us to question how rigid social constructions of masculinity implicitly guide therapeutic interactions with male service users, where silent struggles may be mistaken as stoic endurance’.
– Dr Nini Kerr, Senior Lecturer in Counselling, Psychotherapy and Applied Social Sciences
School of Health in Social Science, The University of Edinburgh
‘In this book, Jeremy Sachs engages the reader with essential information, practical guidance and real-life examples, supported by reflective activities and resources. The emphasis on the impact of intersectionality provides a contemporary and much-needed lens through which to understand the unique difficulties of male survivors. But it is the way that Jeremy writes, making the reader feel understood, supported, and respected, that gives a sense that he is there with you throughout.’
– Professor Kate Smith, University of Aberdeen
‘Jeremy Sachs’ thoughtful, caring and sensitive exploration of the complexities and nuances of the under-recognised impact of male sexual trauma and abuse will benefit men, their allies, and clinicians in navigating words and experiences hidden by years of emotional turmoil. This essential resource will assist in demystifying survivors’ experiences.’
– Andrew Davidson, Joint Programme Head of the Diploma in Psychosexual Therapy at Tavistock Relationships.
Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event
- Understand the unique vulnerabilities of teenage boys and why their experiences of sexual abuse are often hard to recognize.
- Through discussions and case studies, reflect on the lasting impact of abuse on young people’s behaviors and development.
- Gain insight into adolescence as a life stage, including how health behaviors are shaped both generally and by experiences of abuse.
Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?
- Therapists and healthcare professionals.
How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?
- Deepen understanding of this complex issue.
RECORDING
This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.
ZOOM
This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.
SELF-SELECT FEE
The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.
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All the colleagues at ONLINEVENTS and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a manner consistent with the BACP Ethical Framework, which can be accessed on the link below. When registering for this event you are agreeing to be present and interact in a manner that is consistent with this Framework.
Jeremy Sachs
Jeremy Sachs is an integrative psychotherapist, lecturer, and writer specialising in trauma recovery, sexual violence healing, and intersectional approaches to mental health. With over a decade of experience, he has focused on supporting male survivors of sexual abuse and creating inclusive therapeutic programmes for trans and non-binary individuals. For six years, he led SurvivorsUK’s group programmes and continues to develop new therapeutic groups to address diverse client needs.
In addition to his clinical practice, Jeremy contributes to psychologically informed research. As a freelance consultant and has worked with organisations such as the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Movember, and Younger Lives. He lectures at the London Diploma for Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy and has been a guest lecturer at The Tavistock Relationships, among other institutions. His writing has been published in ‘BACP Private Practice Journal’, ‘Therapy Today’, and ‘Happiful Magazine’, and he has served on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Research Committee.
Jeremy is a trustee at Wellbeing Scotland, a charity providing trauma-informed support to individuals and communities affected by abuse, neglect, and adversity. He is also the host and producer of ‘The Trauma Talks’ podcast and the author of ‘An Intersectional Guide for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Their Allies: Masculinity Reconnected’, which will be published by Routledge, released July 2025. He is currently working on his second book. From London and currently based in Glasgow, Scotland, Jeremy runs a private practice and delivers training and talks across the UK and internationally.
Website | www.jeremysachs.com
X | @JeremySachs_
LinkedIn | Jeremy Sachs
