Hosea Chanchez, who’s probably best known for playing Malik Wright on BET’s “The Game,” is getting a lot of support after revealing he was molested at age 14. He also outed the man who he claimed did it.
The 37-year-old told the story of what he allegedly encountered at the hands of a man named Issac Sanders from Montgomery Alabama, whom Chanchez called a “disgusting pervert, a punk, a coward, a sexual predator, a rapist” and a “pedophile.”
Chanchez opened up in an Instagram message shared on Tuesday and said he wants his truth to help stop other pedophiles from harming more children. But he admitted to being reluctant at first, because as a Black man he didn’t want to be judged, laughed at or not believed.
Chanchez said Sanders was his friend’s father, and he would insist on giving him rides home without anyone else in the vehicle. Chanchez also explained that Sanders first talked to him about girls and his sexuality to test his level of comfort on speaking about personal matters.
“My friend’s dad was asking me what type of girls I liked and if I had sex with a girl yet?” the actor described. “I didn’t know it at the time but he was trying to see where my boundaries were. He was using a false hyper masculinity as a way to sniff out my comfort level with sex and privacy.”
Chanchez said Sanders continued to ask him similar questions and would only do it when they were alone, never when his son was around. The actor also stated that Sanders knew that his own father wasn’t in his life and played the role of father figure to build his trust.
Then one day, Chanchez said Sanders insisted on taking him home, and on the way he drove down a dirt road and molested him. Chanchez said Sanders then claimed to be a “very powerful man” who would ruin the teen’s life and said no one would believe him anyway.
“I’m choosing to come forward with it now in hopes that my truth helps to free someone else from guilt and shame at the hands of a predator, rapist, pedophile,” wrote Chanchez. “I often wonder if he’s done/doing this to other kids. I’m sure I’m not the only one … I pray to God this truth helps someone. I pray to God it helps me.”
Chanchez received a lot of support from people who communicated how broken-hearted they were after reading his post. They also let him know how courageous he is for opening up.
“Brave is an understatement!!!! This was unbelievably courageous & I salute you for stepping out on faith & sharing your story!! 🙌🏽💪🏾💯😍” one of his followers wrote.
“This is the beginning. The beginning of your healing,” someone else followed. “Im proud of you. This is difficult but it will free you. I pray for you Hosea. I pray the spirit of guilt and shame flee from you. You are strong, you are loved! Peace and blessings to you 🙏🏽”
“It’s so sad, the things some of us go through while we were kidz and kept it hidden. It’s the 1st step of healing bro,” wrote another supporter.
