Something about pizzagate made me obsessed about pedophilia and the exploitation of children. The way the media dismissed the investigation, it reminded me how alone I felt, and nobody protected me.

I started getting flashbacks of when my father groomed me, convinced me that hardcore pornography was a rite of passage from boy to man -- he exposed me to sicker and sicker stuff.

More flashbacks came to when I was younger, him encouraging me to walk around the house naked, recording and taking photos. Thankfully he never touched me or violated me sexually. The abuse was mostly emotional, physical, perversion, and him exposing himself.

I remember going through his closet as a child, finding brochures of little Thai girl escorts, pictures of Mexican girls, clearly underage. He had many addictions, sex, gambling. I hope I never become like him.

The general public is too scared to admit that pedophilia and incest happen more than commonly believed. If the issue were acknowledged societally, we would have to take responsibility for our apathy and allowing this epidemic to go on for so long. Instead, people cling to public figures because it shapes their ideology and identity. To admit that "your guy" is raping children is to recognize that you are partly responsible. It's taken me to have a complete breakdown, catatonia, shock therapy before I could acknowledge my CPTSD. Thankfully I found an excellent therapist and improving my life. I'm learning to trust and retake risks. If you are a survivor, I recommend the book "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma," it's been invaluable to understanding how my brain adapted to cope.