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Speaking out is something Michael Carnes was meant to do.
He’s been doing it for most of his life, mostly with the keyboard as an award-winning writer and columnist for a number of Nebraska newspapers. He’s also done it with his experience as a talk-show host and in weekly video blogs on the radio and the Internet.
Now, he is taking his talents as a speaker to a new level as a public speaker, and he’s speaking out about a topic that is very close to his heart – sexual abuse.
Carnes is a 37-year survivor of child sexual assault. He was abused by the older brother of a classmate in the small town of Newman Grove, Neb., in the spring of 1976. It is a moment in his life that continues to affect his daily existence, and he wants to help those who, like him, have experienced this traumatic life event.
“I’ve watched thousands of public speakers over the course of my life, and I’ve always envisioned myself doing something like that in a public setting,” he said. “The funny thing is, the speeches I’ve always seen myself giving were sports related, given my background as a sports writer. Up until recently, it never occurred to me that the topic of my speeches would be something like this.”
When Carnes was attacked, he immediately told his parents what had happened, which helped him deal with some of the immediate effects of the assault he experienced. He realizes that not all survivors handle it that way.
“Many survivors of sexual assault are intimidated or encouraged by their attackers to keep the event a secret,” he said. “The act of not speaking out about the attack may have some short-term benefits, but the long-term consequences of not speaking out about the attack are not worth it, in my opinion.”
Carnes is available to speak to groups of any size, from small committees to arena-sized audiences. For booking information and to schedule a speaking engagement, contact him at mike@mikeycproductions.com.