Trigger warning: this book discusses sexual abuse.
Spoiler alert: the article discusses the plot of a book.
The book Boy Toy by Barry Lyga manages to uncover a topic that is, more often than not, hidden, hushed, and disregarded: the resonating effects of sexual abuse on a little boy who has been betrayed by his trusted female history teacher. What is so special about this book is that it accurately portrays the internal battle the little boy goes through after he subjects his friend to the very same abuse he went through because of his mistaken belief that this is a “norm” that he has been taught by his “trusted” teacher. We see four clear resonating effects of sexual abuse here. Firstly, the little boy develops confidence issues, along with self-blame and self-hatred. Secondly, the boy idolizes his teacher and did not blame her for a very long time, even after his subjection to sexual abuse came to light, which, coincidentally, was right after he “became” the abuser. Thirdly, he does not consider it sexual abuse because he “consented to it” when, legally, a little kid who is about 12 years of age cannot consent to anything. Lastly, due to the length of the sexual abuse that he had been subjected to, and because it was not addressed, he becomes a perpetrator after that one act that he subjected his friend to. These resonating effects, along with many more insightful points outlined in the book, will be addressed in this article. Barry Lyga manages to phenomenally talk about about sexual abuse that boys, and not just girls, go through in this fictional tale of the growth of a little boy into adolescence, his struggle with dealing with what he has done to his friend, and what he himself has gone through.
Plot Summary of Boy Toy
The story opens in a first-person narrative with Josh, the main character, narrating what happened when “his life changed”, referring to when he subjected his friend to sexual abuse and touched her without consent at the age of 13. The aftermath of this incident brings to light the various incidents that Josh had been going through for over a year. His teacher, the one he looks up to, used her power to her advantage, gained the trust of Josh and his parents, and subjected him to multiple instances of child sexual abuse. The story spans out through his adolescent years and how he still blames himself for what he subjected his friend to. Furthermore, we discover his mixed feelings for his teacher and how, to some extent, he does not blame her for what she did to him. Yet, this does not prevent him from blaming himself for what he went through. The details of the abuse, and the extent of it, are all explicitly and gruesomely showcased in the book, so much that it makes it hard to read. Yet, as hard as it is to read, it remains crucial.
Resonating Effects of Abuse Within Boy Toy
One of the blaring resonating effects of abuse within Boy Toy consists of the fact that Josh himself became the abuser because he did not address the sexual abuse he was going through and because he had gotten accustomed to it. This is not to say that all victims of child sexual abuse ultimately become perpetrators. However, it is one evident impact of sexual abuse as a child, especially if it is not addressed. As a side note, what Josh did to his friend should not in any way be justified or excused, and this is not what Barry Lyga is attempting to do either when he places Josh as a main character. Lyga is showcasing that such a situation is possible and more probable than not, and that child sexual abuse should not be kept hushed, especially when not addressing the act can indirectly lead to an unwanted situation, where an abused victim becomes an abuser in some cases.
A second resonating effect of sexual abuse found within the book is the mixed feelings Josh has towards his teacher, Evelyn Sherman. She was someone that grew close to Josh and gained his trust and the trust of the family. She was his idol. He really respected her and even had a crush on her. The mechanisms that she uses to get closer to Josh are seen within the book, and they fall under the umbrella of tactics that perpetrators use in order to get closer to their victim. Generally, mechanisms vary from perpetrator to perpetrator, and it really depends on the situation at hand. However, what Evelyn basically does is make Josh believe that they have this unbreakable bond. She treats him like an adult and makes him feel mature. There are various factors that allow her to have this hold on him. One of them includes the fact that Josh begins to stay at her house for long hours during the day until his parents come home. So, she becomes his babysitter, and the minute Josh begins staying at her house after school is the minute he becomes her target. Evelyn grooms Josh to the point where, after what Evelyn has been doing to him is revealed, he does everything in his power to defend her. He lies to the police. He tells his mother that he loves her. He refuses to believe that what she did was abuse. At that point, Josh is no longer sure of anything. Evelyn has manipulated him into believing that what they have is real, when in reality, she is just using him to satisfy her own craves in the most twisted way. After she is arrested, the mixed feelings Josh had begin to intensify, and he no longer knows what to believe. Even after years pass by, he still has this love within him for her. Yet at the same time, he does not know what to feel or how to feel it. Evelyn leaves Josh confused, ruined, and in shock. Barry Lyga perfectly portrays a grooming act and showcases what occurs in the aftermath of it.
A third resonating effect of abuse within the book is the self-blame that Josh undergoes. He blames himself for what he subjected his friend, Rachel, to and still feels awkward about it even years after. He steers clear from girls because he has become convinced that he would not be able to control himself. The extent of the actions of the teacher showcase in his social life and in the way he acts and reacts around others. He also blames himself for Evelyn going to jail.
Finally, we see how Josh still does not consider what he went through as sexual abuse, even though his entire town is aware of what has happened. He believed that considering it was consensual, then it was not abuse. He still believes that years after the abuse stopped, as well as when he grew into an adolescent. It is only when Evelyn, who then gets out of jail for good behavior, actually tells him that she sexually abused him and apologizes for it that he actually believes it. This showcases the strong hold that Evelyn still has on him, years after her abuse. It showcases how strong her emotional manipulation was and how such a manipulation can shape an individual.
What Barry Lyga does in his book is showcase how twisted emotional manipulation can get. Josh loses himself and builds an identity based on illusions and twisted mind games that Evelyn puts him through. It takes him years to finally break free from her hold on him, and even then, it is not easy. The level of the abuse is extreme on a physical and psychological level, and the aftereffects of it are just as extreme. As hard as it was to read this book, it was definitely crucial and eye-opening. Child sexual abuse can come in various forms, and the perpetrators can wear various masks. What is more is that there is a lack of awareness over this problematic issue, especially when considering boys being subjected to it. So, kudos to Barry Lyga for being spot on with his description and showcasing the heartbreaking truth of what child sexual abuse brings to the table.