If you have found this story, please note that this is the third instalment of the Behind-Series. The second book, "Behind The Mask" is currently still available on Wattpad, although the first instalment has been removed. Please read the following statement for a better explanation: 

Hi everybody!

This morning I woke up with quite a few messages in my inbox, asking whether I have removed "Behind Drawn Curtains" from Wattpad. I was actually not aware that so many people were coming back and reading it again and again. Over the years I have received many messages about the change the story has made, and together I think we have built up something wonderful! Together we told the story of sexual abuse, which is something that happens every single day, all over the world. It is a plague that does not discriminate against race, sexuality, gender, or class. It is an atrocity that needs to be stamped out, but the only way to be able to do that is to be able to talk about it. Graphically! Without apology! Really show the hurt that it is doing to our world and society!

Wattpad is however trying to silence that voice. We are not allowed to use the word "pedo-fi--le" anymore, because the word offends those who want to claim that being attracted to minors is a sexual orientation. It is NOT! I do not believe that doing harm to especially the youth give you any right to be offended by a word I call you. I do not believe it hate speech to call someone a "pedo--fi--le" if I have to.

I started writing "Behind Drawn Curtains" in the early hours on a autumn day in 2015. And it was brutal to write. Why? Because it was my own story. It was a truth I had to live through in my youth. What I however found out was, it wasn't just my story. It was the story of many of you who have read it. I know because I have received the messages and read the comments.

Together we created a help list with numbers, email addresses, and websites for help against abuse, suicide hotlines, and homeless shelters. You have all sent me and commented the details of your country if it wasn't yet on the list. "Behind Drawn Curtains" may have belonged to me when it was written, but together we took up this fight, and together we started a fight to end the horrible things happening in the world. And none of us were naive... We knew that one story, and a few helplines would not be able to stop it. We knew it would not be able to end it. But we all believed, together, if we could reach one person, and if one person could be helped, it would be worth it.

You all fell in love with E.J. and commented every step of the way. You all rightly hated James for what he had done. We all got angry at Chris, and sometimes we wanted to give Chris a hug again. And off course, you all laughed and cheered for Brody, who would become the main character of the sequel, "Behind The Mask".

At the time of Wattpad removing it, (and no, they did not give me any warning at all), we were standing on:

325,000 reads

22,000 comments

40,000 votes

I am not even counting the countless inbox messages I have received. I am not counting how many of you highlighted this book, put it on your reading lists, spoke about it on TikTok and Instagram, and recommended it to many of your friends.

And that is an achievement! A huge one! We did it! We got it out there! And it is all thanks to each and every one of you.

Now... I will not pretend that I wasn't aware that something like this could someday happen. "Behind Drawn Curtains" is very graphic. I didn't see why it should not be. I wanted to face people with the truth, not just brush over it and sugar-coat it. And yes, it was disturbing. Yet, I know for a fact that it has made a difference. Not just one or two, but many...

But the fight is not over. I will NOT be silenced. I will continue to spread the word and help where I can. This story WILL remain on the internet, in the public domain. Of that I am sure.

At this point, some of you have headed over to my "Buy Me A Coffee" account, something which I am very thankful for. You would like me to keep writing without restrictions, and I will do just that. These donations, I have decided will be used to create a website, where "Behind Drawn Curtains" in the draft form that it was will remain completely free for anyone who would like to download it. It will be available in PDF, ePub, and many other formats to ensure that everyone can get it, and read it, for free. I will also use this website to have our helplist on it, so that people reading can find help if they need it. With time, I hope that we can get in some people that can chat with anyone having a problem, and help them at the very least just to get through the night. If you'd like to be part of this - there is a link in my bio where you can donate. One coffee doesn't seem like much, but together, accumulated, we can become an army. At this point, I am even thinking of making vlogs to address these issues, and I would like to create a platform for anyone that has been through what I and so many others have been through, can speak our truths without any restrictions.

I have said before, even if "Behind Drawn Curtains" is ever traditionally published it will remain free in an ebook form. I will keep my word on this. That is a promise that I made many years ago, and I will continue to stick with it. What Wattpad has done didn't make me angry. It made me disappointed, but I know together we can get through this as well.

For now, "Behind Drawn Curtains" is available to read on a platform called Novelcat, but off course I cannot be ensured that it will not be removed there at some point or another. I will however make very fast work in sorting out a website, and then we are gonna market the hell out of E.J. and his story. And we will spread the word all over the world. And we will get the information to those who need it most! This is my wish. Unfortunately I will be going in for surgery this coming Thursday, so it might be a week or two before this is all sorted out completely. I actually hope that this will all be in realization by at the latest, 28 February 2023. On the 1st of March 2023 we will launch.

And yes, I keep saying "we", because we are all in this fight together! Together we will rise above this censorship that is going on, keeping us from telling the true story, in all the graphic ways necessary to make people take a stand. This is something not spoken of nearly enough, and that has to end! So I am also at this point making a call to anyone that would like to assist in this. If you are a graphic designer, or just really good at making videos for TikTok. Message me. Let me know. Maybe we can do a collective book where we can each tell our story if you feel like writing yours. Maybe you're an artist? Or write music? It doesn't matter. There is room for each and everyone on the platform I will create to fight against this monster that's been plaguing society for too many centuries. It needs to end now, and I know together we can make a difference. Send me an inbox message, or email me at jaygeskrywer at gmail dot com

For now, I thank each and every one of you who has stood with me. I want to say thank you for every single vote, comment, review, share... For those who bought a coffee, thank you so much, I promised it will be used well, to help others. It will be paid forward.

So... in conclusion, I would just like to thank everyone for having supported me so much that it justifies writing this statement. I do not retract anything I published in the past. I stand by all of it. And yes, we might need to move it to a different platform, but this is not the end. Just a very temporary setback.

Thank you! Thank you for the love! I hope my love reaches each and every one of you!

C.A. Kerst