Foley claims to have been abused by a clergyman - beyond politics, let me talk truth and myth here

First, let me qualify myself. As a survivor of child sexual abuse myself, I know whereof I speak.

Now, as to Foley’s apparent self-justification that he was abused by a clergyman and this somehow caused him to be an abuser.

First of all, the great majority of abused children never go on to be abusers themselves. Now, although exact statistics are not available, looking from the other direction, it is likely true that a majority of abusers were themselves abused in some way.

Second, despite his words to the contrary, Foley is NOT accepting full responsibility.

Foley said through his lawyer Tuesday that he was sexually abused by a clergyman as a teenager, but accepts full responsibility for sending salacious computer messages to teenage male pages.

If he really accepted full responsibility, he wouldn’t have mentioned his childhood until some time later. It looks clear to me he’s trying to have it both ways.

Before you object, it would be something entirely different if he had said something like this in private, to a counselor, immediately.

Third, contrary to the Rush Limbaughs of the world who must be giving themselves double hernias from trying not to gay-bashingly crush Foley, adult male child sexual abuse of young boys does NOT cause homosexuality. Period.

Fourth, while Foley’s lawyer is right that “shame” keeps many adult victims of child sexual abuse quiet, it usually doesn’t keep them quiet that long. From my experience, the age of realization is more likely to be in one’s 30s.

Fifth, child sexual abuse is indeed a major cause of alcoholism, as well as drug abuse, abusive self-mutilation such as cutting and more. But, again, problems in this areas usually come out well before one’s 50s.

So, to turn this back to the world of politics, while I don’t outrightly disbelieve you, ex-Congressman Mark Foley, I’m pretty skeptical.