When 2023 HOF candidate R.A. Dickey disclosed the horrific sexual assault he experienced as a child

In 2012, former MLB pitcher and 2023 Hall of Fame candidate R.A. Dickey opened up about being sexually assaulted during his childhood.

Dickey revealed details about his experiences in life and as an MLB player in his 2012 memoir, "Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity and the Perfect Knuckleball."

Disclosing that he had been a victim of sexual assault twice, Dickey wrote that a 13-year-old female babysitter and a 17-year-old male assaulted him when he was eight years old:

"The babysitter has her way with me four or five more times that summer, and into the fall, and each time feels more wicked than the time before."

Dickey opened up about the horrors he faced as a child, writing that he was constantly terrified at the thought of going back to the babysitter. However, Dickey could not tell anyone about it until he turned 31. He wrote:

"Every time that I know I'm going back over there, the sweat starts to come back. I sit in the front seat of the car, next to my mother, anxiety surging. I never tell her why I am so afraid. I never tell anyone until I am 31 years old."

He added:

"I felt dirty, I felt ashamed and alone, and I felt there was something terribly wrong with me."

"Finished reading Wherever I Wind Up by R.A. Dickey. What an incredible journey he's been through both life & baseball" - Kevin Thang on Twitter

In a career that spanned over 16 years, Dickey played for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves.

R.A. Dickey started writing the book in 2005 but couldn't continue as he felt these incidents were too painful to address at the time. Although it has been extremely difficult, Dickey decided to plow on so that other people who might have gone through the same trauma feel it's okay to speak up about such things.

He also addressed the struggle of opening up about these incidents to his wife. He feared that his wife would treat him differently had she known about his trauma.

R.A. Dickey's relationship with his wife was strained for years before he spoke to her about the assaults. When he finally told her, it strengthened their bond. He said:

"That was really, really difficult. Part of being sexually abused is you feel like you're damaged, you feel like if people knew the truth you would be looked at in a certain light, or you would be broken and fractured. So you don't risk it. That's one of the things I wish I would have done better.

"I just didn't possess the equipment or the vocabulary to do that well with her, and it cost me. It was tough on our marriage for a long, long time. When I told her, she loved me despite the ugliest parts of my life. It really did a lot for our relationship."

---

"You're always drawn to things that are personal to you" - R.A. Dickey on supporting causes to show solidarity with sexual assault victims

MIAMI, FL - MAY 14: R.A. Dickey #19 of the Atlanta Braves sits in the dugout before the start of the game against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on May 14, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)

To raise awareness about human sex trafficking in India, R.A. Dickey climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania in the 2012 offseason. He wanted to fight for a cause where abuse could never be passed off as a mere coincidence.

Elaborating on this, he said he stood for the cause not just because he had daughters but because he understood the pain of being taken advantage of:

"You're always drawn to things that are personal to you. Not only do I have two daughters myself, but I've been through some things that can help me to empathize with not necessarily the intensity of someone who has been human trafficked into a brothel, but I certainly know the feelings of being taken advantage of in that way."

"R.A. Dickey Scales Mount Kilimanjaro In Offseason, Now Climbs Atop Cy Young Race - http://inq.cm/SpW20z" - The Inquisitr

The father-of-four believes that in recent times, talking openly about sexual abuse is no longer seen as a taboo and that anyone who has ever faced any adversity should be made to feel comfortable about the same.