A lot of Democrats seem to be experiencing a kind of elation over the discovery of Mark Foley’s inappropriate emails with pages and his subsequent resignation. I am less jubilant about the potential political bounty of this episode, and more excited about the potential for this episode to help children and adults by shedding light on the problem of sexual abuse and the typical cycle of repetition of abusive behavior by victims.
As a clinical social worker who has spent the past 12 years listening to stories of sexual abuse from children and adults, this appears to be a rare case for several reasons. First, there is actual evidence — the emails. For all the cases I have seen, there has almost never been any physical evidence like this. While sad and revolting, it is also a good thing for victims, making more real and undeniable their experience. Second, Rep. Foley has had the courage to take responsibility for his behavior. Perhaps the evidence was so strong he had no choice, but I have seen people remain in denial for ages, sometimes all the way through long prison sentences. Again, this is good news for victims — making a huge public display of the appropriate reaction to the problem of sexual predation on children. Finally, as revealed in the article below, Rep. Foley is acknowledging his own history of sexual abuse. Again, this does great things for helping children and adults worldwide who have been victimized and have borne the shame of their abuse.
On a side note, the article also raises the question of Foley’s alcoholism, for which he has now entered treatment, and whether he was intoxicated while on the job in Washington. This is another issue which probably needs more attention, particularly for lawmakers, as this is the second incident within a year of a Congressional representative entering treatment for substance abuse. From the article:
Mark Foley claims being molested as teen
By BRIAN SKOLOFF
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former Rep. Mark Foley, under investigation for sending lurid Internet messages to young male Capitol Hill pages, issued a series of revelations from rehab, including a claim that he had been sexually abused as a teen.
Attorney David Roth, speaking on Foley’s behalf at a Florida news conference Tuesday, said Foley was molested between ages 13 and 15 by a clergyman. He declined to identify the clergyman or the church, but Foley is Roman Catholic.
“Mark does not blame the trauma he sustained as a young adolescent for his totally inappropriate” e-mails and instant messages, Roth said. “He continues to offer no excuse whatsoever for his conduct.”
Roth, who spoke for Foley while the congressman is in rehab for alcohol abuse and mental illness, said Foley denied having inappropriate sexual contact with minors and said he was under the influence of alcohol when he wrote the notes.
Asked why he didn’t disclose this information sooner, Roth said, “Shame, shame.”
“As is so often the case with victims of abuse, Mark advises that he kept his shame to himself for almost 40 years,” Roth said.
“There was absolutely no inappropriate sexual contact with any minor… and any suggestion that Mark Foley is a pedophile is false,” Roth said.
Roth also acknowledged for the first time that the former congressman is gay, saying the disclosure was part of his client’s “recovery.”
“Mark Foley wants you to know he is a gay man,” Roth said.
Foley, who is 52 and single, represented parts of Palm Beach County for 12 years until he abruptly resigned Friday. The FBI and Florida law enforcement officials are investigating whether he violated any laws.
The lurid communications were first reported last week by ABC News, which released more instant messages Tuesday that indicate Foley allegedly interrupted a vote on the House floor to chat online with a teen.
“I miss you,” Foley said in one message, according to ABC.
“ya me too,” the teen replied.
“we are still voting,” Foley responded.
Roth said Foley was never under the influence of alcohol while conducting business on Capitol Hill. He could not explain his previous comments that Foley was intoxicated at the time he sent all the messages.
The race Foley abandoned is suddenly receiving national attention as Democrats seek to win 15 Republican seats to regain power in the House. Foley was considered a shoo-in for re-election. Tim Mahoney, the Democratic candidate for the seat, said the only thing that has changed since Foley’s resignation is that he is now receiving national media attention.
Mahoney declined to comment Tuesday on the latest revelations.
Florida’s Republican Party leaders on Monday selected state Rep. Joe Negron to replace Foley as their candidate in the Nov. 7 general election, but under state law, Foley’s name cannot be removed from the ballot even though he has withdrawn. Votes for Foley will be tallied for Negron.
At the Capitol, House Speaker Dennis Hastert cast aside calls for his resignation Tuesday amid talk from Democrats that Republicans knew of Foley’s questionable communications months ago but failed to act.
President Bush, speaking at a Stockton, Calif., elementary school, on Tuesday said he was disgusted by Foley’s actions. The House ethics committee scheduled its first meeting on Foley’s actions for Thursday.
Kmareka.com 
The political fallout, if any, should not centre on Mr Foley. He has resigned, which is appropriate. If he molested any minors, that is a matter for the courts. If not, as is claimed, then this is a matter for counseling and therapy.
Before anyone can draw any parallel with Barney Frank, Mr Frank has never, to my knowledge, been accused of improper conduct with minors.
The political fallout should center on two things: first, the environment which made it impossible for Mr Foley to deal with who he was. Mr Foley’s Republican colleagues should be asking themselves some very hard questions. Of course, most of them won’t. They will dismiss Mr Foley, possibly with some sort of homophobic slur, and move on, never once considering that their intolerance helped create the circumstances tha allowed this to happen.
Second, what did the Rep leadership know about this, and when did they know it? Apparently, it was no secret among the pages that Mr Foley had certain “predilections.” If the Rep leadership–Mr Hastert, Mr Boehner, and, possibly, Tom DeLay–knew that Mr Foley was gay and did nothing, that’s fine. If they knew he was making improper advances towards minors and did nothing, they should be removed from office and prosecuted. Covering for criminal offenses committed by ‘one of their own’ is, well, criminal.
I really, really want to hear that last point refuted by someone of a conservative bent. Let’s see some moral relativism from these paragons of absolute virtue, who thunder about the transgressions of their opponents while excusing the crimes of their own.
For a classic example of moral relativism as practiced by conservatives, you need look no further than their reaction to Rush Limbaugh’s drug addiction. Or to the many, many crimes committed by members of Mr DeLay’s staff.