I Wish You Were Dead

As a child, Michael Banks suffered the debilitating circumstances of sexual abuse - inflicted on him by who was supposed to be a trusted family member. Now, he shares his story and provides hope for others in similar situations. When he was only five years old, Michael began to suffer intense sexual and physical abuse at the hands of their alcoholic father. With a mother already at an in-patient psychiatric unit, Michael had no one to stand up for his wellbeing. Michael knew the stakes were high for his father. A father who hid his abuse from his struggling wife and often provided hush money or gifts to veil the horrors he put his son through. Michael didn't want a new bike, or money, or things. He wanted a normal mother and father, an average life, and a childhood without abuse. As a teenager, Michael decided to turn the narrative on its head. He left the house and began seeking help for the terror he'd experienced. Throughout the trials unfairly brought against him, Michael didn't let his abuser define himself or the path his life would take. His story is a testament to the indelible strength of a human spirit, the power of healing trauma, and the courage to shed a light on male abuse. Banks wrote his memoir specifically for readers 16 years and older who have a vested interest in survival stories, abuse memoirs, and encouraging self-help stories.