Son Of Retired NBA Player, Isiah Thomas, Reveals He Was Raped Twice
The son of retired NBA player, Isiah Thomas, is opening up about being raped in two separate incidents. Zeke Thomas shared his harrowing story in an effort to bring awareness to sexual assaults against men.
“Being gay, being African-American, it’s definitely something that I never imagined would happen to me,” the 28-year-old DJ and music producer told Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts Tuesday (April 25).
The first assault occurred when Thomas was 12 years old. “At first I didn’t realize what had happened, what had transpired. I knew that it was wrong, I knew that I did not want it. I did not seek it out,” he said. “I hadn’t let my family know until much later that this had happened.”
A separate incident occurred last February. “When it happens again I was terrified, I really felt like my manhood was taken from me.”
Thomas didn’t press charges in either case, for fear of being labeled a “victim.”
“If I could go back, I would press charges,” he said. “If we could find…the assailant today, I would 100 percent press charges.”
Thomas, who has collaborated with Lady Gaga, Pitbull and Diana Ross, credits music with helping in him heal.
In addition to sharing his story on GMA, Thomas appears in a newly release PSA from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center for national Sexual Assault Awareness Month. He’s also an ambassador for the organization.
ABC News reports that more than 19.5 million U.S. men have been the victim of contact sexual violence, including rape. It is estimated that 28 percent of male rape victims were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger.
Watch Thomas’ interview below.
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