Ryan was supposed to find comfort in his mother's bed; instead his mother's boyfriend abused him.

The Something to Say Podcast · May 7, 2026 · 4m

Ryan was 11 years old when it first happened.

Home wasn't always a safe place. His mother struggled with alcohol, and there had already been previous trauma from domestic violence.

Most mornings, Ryan would climb into her bed, just to feel close to her and to feel some sense of comfort. One morning, her boyfriend was there too. When his mother got up to go to work, she left Ryan alone with him.

That's when the abuse began.

At the time, Ryan didn't fully understand what was happening. He knew it felt strange, even puzzling. Even more confusing, parts of it felt physically good. That's…