Locals Split on Brown Abuse Claim, by David Liscio, Daily Item, February 19, 2011

Locals Split on Brown Abuse Claim

By David Liscio
Daily Item
February 19, 2011

http://www.thedailyitemoflynn.com/articles/2011/02/19/news/news01.txt

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., refuses to answer questions about his sexual abuse while attending the induction ceremony of U.S. District Judge Denise Jefferson Casper at Faneuil Hall in Boston, Friday afternoon.

U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's revelation that he was sexually abused as a boy while attending a Cape Cod summer camp is sparking wide ranging public opinions about the issue and his motivation for telling the story.

Local mental health experts say the book could prove helpful to those who have experienced similar abuse.

Brown's detractors suggest the senator was driven to publish his memoirs as a way to attract publicity as part of his 2012 re-election campaign strategy.

"It's a good thing when people come forward. People often are afraid they will be criticized that they're doing it for personal or political reasons," said Lori Berry, executive director of the Lynn Community Health Center.

Berry said Brown and his U.S. Senate colleagues should support resources for children and families rather than cutting funding, as some have proposed. "There should be services for the people who are dealing with this sort of thing," she said.

Political consultant Michael Goldman shared Berry's opinion on the need to provide resources for victims of sexual abuse, but was quick to cite Brown's track record of not supporting such services.

"The blowback on this one has been very interesting. Initially, people react sympathetically to anyone who is abused, but once they have had time to think about it, they start wondering if it's true," he said.

Goldman said Brown suffers from a credibility gap.

"He is the most conservative member of the Republican party if you look at his House and Senate voting records. He has voted against seniors, education and healthcare. That is his record," Goldman said. "There were lots of opportunities for him to say, 'I'm a conservative, but I believe there is one place to increase funding for children, for boys and girls, who as youngsters are victims of molestation ... "

A successful Republican lawyer and state senator, Brown rocketed into the national limelight last year when he won the race in Massachusetts for the U.S. Senate seat last held by U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Brown was interviewed by reporter Leslie Stahl from "60 Minutes," during which he unveils some of the torment he experienced. The show has been scheduled for broadcast on Sunday.

Brown, 51, who is married with two daughters, said he was sexually abused on several occasions by his camp counselor at age 10. Brown quoted the counselor as saying, "If you tell anybody, I'll kill you."

The senator this week said his mother will read about that incident for the first time when the book, titled "Against All Odds," is released.

Candace Waldron, executive director of Healing Abuse Working for Change (HAWC), a North Shore organization formed to address domestic violence and sexual abuse, said Brown's admissions could help other victims.

"I feel like I don't know what his motives were. The timing is certainly interesting. But from HAWC's perspective, the more we raise awareness of abuse, the better, whatever kind it is," Waldron said. "It was a courageous thing for him to do because a lot of men don't want to talk about it. The stigma comes for all victims, but it's greater for men. It's good to open up the conversation."

Waldron said sexual abuse of children by adults is still prevalent in American society and the number of boy victims is under-counted.

"I think the clergy sexual scandal pointed that out," she said. "The trauma carries over into the victim's life and part of the healing is to get to disclose it and not hold it inside and blame yourself."

Brown also reveals in the memoir that two relatives - reportedly his stepfathers - beat him regularly when he was a child, according to advance publicity for the book.

Brown also discussed with ABC's Barbara Walters having to protect his mother against his stepfathers. "I do remember getting up in the middle of the night and, you know, having to be the man of the family and come and rescue her and getting knocked around pretty good," he told Walters.

Brown said the sexual attack at summer camp was not fully consummated, but nonetheless was "very traumatic."

In the book, Brown reportedly recounts how he once considered purchasing a house where he lived with one of his stepfathers simply so he could "burn it down" as an act of catharsis.

Brown faces re-election next year to a full six-year U.S. Senate term.

In an interview clip shown on Thursday's Today show, Brown said, "In retrospect, I wouldn't change a thing, because it made me who I am today."

Asked about Brown's motivations, Marilyn Sauchuk of Lynn said, "He's probably doing it to help other people and maybe some for political reasons. It could be a little of both. People who have been abused usually carry it with them for a long time."

Lynn native Denise Clifford of Ipswich defended Brown.

"I kind of think he did it to help people," she said.

Lisa Lane of Saugus differed. "He did it for more limelight," she said.

Stephanie Armstrong of Lynn, a self-acknowledged abuse victim, said, "I think people will be able to tell more once they see how he voted. As for the book, it all depends on how he wrote it."

Margaret Branden of Lynn said, "Maybe I'm wrong, but he probably did it for stardom."

A Swampscott man in his 40s, who identified himself only as John, said he anticipates Brown's book will be a helpful tool.

"I can't wait to read it," he said, recalling his own experience with abuse in the military more than two decades ago. "Obviously some of this is political, the book coming out at a choice time. But for him to voice what he went through makes me want to talk about what I went through. I think what he did took guts."