Bobby Brown opens up about childhood abuse that changed the course of his life

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Kelly Rissman

US News Reporter

Bobby Brown has opened up about the childhood abuse he endured, which he says changed the course of his life.

A new documentary called Biography: Bobby Brown depicts the R&B singer’s rise to fame, struggles with substance abuse, his marriage to Whitney Houston, and other traumas.

In the series, Brown shares a horrific anecdote from his childhood that happened after he “was sent to a temporary custody by social services which was supposed to be a religious place”.

Brown said: “One of the priests tried to molest me. He tried to touch my private parts. At that time, I was a young boy. I didn’t know what sexual boundaries were. I just knew I didn’t like being touched. Some things are hard to forget.”

In a new interview with People ahead of the premiere of the two-part series, the “My Prerogative” singer addressed the effects the abuse had on his life.

“That really, really bothered me as a child, and as a grown adult,” Brown said.

“I think it was part of the reason I did things, other things, drugs, alcohol, why I abused myself.”

While the star said he hadn’t planned on disclosing such a painful memory, he added that talking about it “helped me get through a lot of other things that had been bothering me, especially that”.

Biography: Bobby Brown is set to premiere on A&E in the US on 30 May.

If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can contact your nearest Rape Crisis organisation for specialist, independent and confidential support. For more information, visit their website here.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit their website here.