NEEDTOBREATHE's guitarist Bo Rinehart accuses brother Bear of abuse in Instagram post

Former NEEDTOBREATHE guitarist Bo Rinehart has claimed that his brother and the band’s lead vocalist, Bear Rinehart s*xually ab*sed him.

Rinehart released a statement on his Instagram page where he spoke about being a ‘childhood s*xual ab*se survivor’ and made accusations against his brother, Bear Rinehart, a camp counsellor and a youth pastor. Rinehart began his statement by admitting that he took recourse in alcoholism, and while affirming his faith, alleged that he was ab*sed as a child. The guitarist stated:

“This is Bo. I am an alcoholic. I am a sinner, but I am a believer. I believe in God’s grace, and I believe that his mercy has shown that he is consistent, even though we don’t deserve it. I am a survivor of childhood s*xual ab*se. I’ve been s*xually ab*sed by a Camp counselor. I’ve been s*xually, physically and emotionally ab*sed by my brother. And I’ve been ab*sed by my youth pastor.”

Rinehart’s statement also noted that he was sharing his story knowing that it is difficult for victims to come forward in similar cases. He wrote:

“I believe that God has bigger plans for me and part of those plans are telling my story because it’s so hard for anyone to tell stories like these. Even when my faith has been crushed, I know that God still has provisions for me.”

In a concluding message to survivors of s*xual ab*se, Bo Rinehart offered hope and faith, and added:

“If you’re out there and you’re thinking, nothing can be done, no one can help, there’s no way out…. I’m with you…….. but I believe in a God who always finds a way. Don’t give up and don’t lose hope.”

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Bo Rinehart opened up about being a victim of childhood s*xual ab*se a few years ago

Bo Rinehart was one of the founding members of Grammy-nominated Christian rock band NEEDTOBREATHE which has produced chart topping hits. In 2020, NEEDTOBREATHE announced that Bo Rinehart was exiting the band, as per The Christian Beat.

Two years later, Rinehart spoke to News Channel 5 Nashville to discuss his break with the band. While sharing that he was embarking on a solo career as ‘Coy Roy,’ Rinehart said that he:

"Just wanted to focus on my story and what I wanted to say.”

At the time, Rinehart shared that he had survived childhood s*xual ab*se. Speaking to News Channel 5 Nashville, Rinehart said:

“It's a very taboo thing to talk about. I’m a survivor of childhood s*xual ab*se, and it started when I was six. Some elements of my story are for me to know. When I was 6-years-old, I went into protection mode. I had developed an ability to black things out and try to escape it however I could. Medicating through alcohol or other addictions was the result of childhood s*xual ab*se.”

At the time, while Rinehart opened up about seeking therapy, he did not speak about his brother Bear Rinehart being one of his alleged ab*sers.

During an interview with People Magazine, Rinehart shared that one of his singles as a solo artist, Doing the Best I Can was inspired from his experiences. He noted:

“I'm going to have to face it and hit it head-on. That’s what the song is about, really coming to terms with it and knowing you can either blame other people for your struggles, be resentful or you can look inward and say, 'This is something that I deserve grace and forgiveness for,' and allow myself that.”

Rinehart was candid about dealing with childhood of ab*se as an adult, and said:

“At some point in our lives, we get to this stage — and it's generally with survivors of childhood s*xual ab*se, it's in their late 30s or early 40s — where it starts to surface whether you want it to or not," he says. "You'll start to see how your life's kind of breaking down.”

While speaking to People Magazine, Rinehart revealed that he sought refuge in alcohol before commencing therapy and embarking on a long road to recovery.

Alongside releasing music, Rinehart also regularly shares his portraits and other artwork on social media. While sharing an artwork on Instagram in January, Rinehart observed:

“Life is hard sometimes. Don’t forget to stop and recognize the beauty in it. The beauty in all the little things like the twists and the turns.”

As per his social media handle, Bo Rinehart still attends therapy sessions, and emphasizes the value of ‘putting in the work.’

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