Borough president recounts father's abusive past

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Borough President Eric Adams says that's a topic that hits close to home. Speaking publicly Thursday, Adams recounted how his own abusive father treated

News 12 Staff

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Oct 30, 2015, 3:09 AM

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Updated 3,423 days ago

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Borough President Eric Adams says that's a topic that hits close to home.

Speaking publicly Thursday, Adams recounted how his own abusive father treated his family when he was growing up.

He said his father beat his mother and once threw a glass ash tray at his head.

"Often times people think that the physical abuse is the only aspect of domestic violence -- when it is not," Adams said. "The physical scars will heal, but the emotional scars can last a lifetime."

It was the first time that Adams spoke publicly about domestic violence in his own past.

"It has nothing to do with you," Adams said. "It has to do with the person who's the abuser."

The borough president, who was previously a police officer and also a state senator, said that the experience caused him to seek out a life in public service.

His father eventually sought help and turned his life around, Adams said.