[stevenstwin]

I'll tell you why I chose this time to ask about it. A is in a temporary foster home right now, and he has to share a bedroom with another boy - a Native boy about 2 years younger than him. He says he likes the kid, but also told me at other times that he feels very scared and lonely at night, and cries a lot (yes, my heart is breaking :-( Anyway, HE didn't make the connection, but I got thinking about the story he'd told me about the assault when he was 9 - his attacker in that case was a 12 year old Native boy. So we talked about it last night and he had a bit on an "aHa!" moment and agreed that his memory of that might be what is making him feel vulnerable at night sharing a room with this other totally innocent boy. He's going to talk to his counsellor about it and tell her about the assault so they can discuss if he needs to deal with it in therapy, but at any rate - I think just realizing where his discomfort in the current situation is coming from will do a lot to ease it. And yes, I absolutely do believe he is telling the truth about the assault since his description had that ring to it - he was attacked in his sleep, full penetration did NOT occur as he fought back, the night supervisort came into the room as soon as he heard the scuffle, but no one told him what had actually happened, the other kid said that if A. told anyone, he'd say that A. was gay and started it, etc. I also asked his counsellor OFF the record "what if" and she said that we aren't obligated to report it by law, and she thinks they probably knew or supsected at the time anyway.

[waited2long]

I am glad that he is now going to get some help dealing with it.
I sort of felt that his telling you about it, probably meant it was time...
I hope it goes easily, he sounds somewhat open to talking about.
Best wishes!