NeedtoBreathe Frontman Says Allegations He Sexually Abused Brother are ‘Wildly Misleading’
NeedtoBreathe frontman Bear Rinehart has commented on allegations that he sexually assaulted his brother when he was younger, revealing his own history of being sexually abused while insisting his brother Bo is “conflate(ing) our shared experience of abuse with a childhood incident he misrepresents.”
Needtobreathe is an American rock band that formed in the early 2000s as a ‘Christian band’ and eventually achieved crossover success. Founded by Bear Rinehart with his brother Bo, they have won several GMA Dove awards, including ‘Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year’ in 2017 for their album HardLove and again in 2021 for their album Out of Body.
Two days ago, Bo Rinehart, who left the band in 2020, wrote on his Instagram account that he’s been sexually assaulted multiple times in his life, including being “sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my brother.”
Bear responded on his own social media, writing:
I feel the need to comment on the deeply hurtful and misleading accusations that my brother Bo made the other night on social media. I love Bo deeply and I always will. Since his departure from the band over five years ago, we have done everything in our power to treat him with respect and privacy. I would never choose to disparage him, especially at a time where he is clearly in pain. But as a father and husband, I must protect my family from claims that misrepresent the truth.
Until now, I had chosen to not share this publicly – not because I’m ashamed, but because I’ve wanted to protect my family. I have three young boys, and I wanted them to hear about my story from me directly, when the time is right and not through social media or online speculation. Bo’s post has now made it impossible for me to remain private about this period of our childhood any longer. I can only hope that God has a plan for this down the road. I have always respected Bo’s right to speak about his own story, but I cannot allow him to misrepresent mine.
My brother and I were both sexually abused at the age of 8 and 6 by a teenage counselor at the Christian camp where we grew up. Neither of us received support for these events until well into adulthood and were both left to navigate the rest of childhood and adolescence with deep pain and confusion. I carried shame and anger for years after, but through many hours of counseling and the support of friends and family I was able to share it with, I truly believe I have found freedom from it.
Bo’s recent accusation of me conflates our shared experience of abuse with a childhood incident he misrepresents. While going through a two day intensive counseling session with Bo five years ago, I learned that he was hurt by things that happened in our early teen years as well. At that counseling session I took full responsibility for any part I played in that pain. We processed those moments of shared trauma in detail and left with an understanding that we were two young boys trying to cope with the unimaginable. To now label me an abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful, but is also wildly misleading and feels intentionally harmful.
Even after all of this, I am still hopeful for a reconciliation some day with my brother that I know only God can provide. I truly do pray for his healing. I believe that all of us are broken and in need of a savior. My brother and I are no different. I believe our calling is to love those who are hurting and show them the grace that God has extended us. I hope I’ve done that here, while also defending the father, husband, and friend I’ve worked hard to become. Please pray for our family and all we can ask is that you respect our privacy during this time.
BEAR
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Where do people learn this kind of language? Its not English. What is it? Femspeak? Pschobabel? I’m not sure what to call it. But it sure takes forever to get the point, and never really clarifies anything.
TLDR; he says someone else abused him and his brother when they were 6 and 8. Then he says he apologized to his brother 5 years ago and “took full responsibility for any part [he] played in that pain.” Thanks, that’s clear as mud bro. What does that even mean? How can someone who can’t even speak fluent English be a celebrity? Who listens to the music of these illiterates? You should all be ashamed of yourselves.
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