Rahsaan Patterson on Surviving Sexual Abuse   C.
Brandon/Redferns  Rahsaan Patterson was just a child when he got
his big break with a part on Kids Incorporated, but it wasn't
until many years and a transition to a music career later that
he revealed -- first to his family, and then to the public --
the sexual abuse he endured beginning at age 6.  Now, with four
albums to his name, he's partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse &
Incest National Network) to raise awareness about the issue,
which he says too often goes unaddressed in the black community.
At a recent event in Washington, D.C., Patterson performed his
new single, "Don't Touch Me," the proceeds of which will go to
the organization's work supporting survivors of sexual violence.
The Root talked to Patterson about his childhood, his unique
role as a black man speaking out about sexual abuse and why he's
on a mission against silence and shame.  The Root: You've said
you were sexually abused when you were 6 and you weren't able to
share it with your family