NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bo Rinehart accuses brother Bear Rinehart of sexual abuse in Instagram post

Bo Rinehart, former guitarist and founding member of the band NEEDTOBREATHE, has accused his brother and the band’s lead singer, Bear Rinehart, of physical and sexual abuse in a new Instagram post.

Bo Rinehart has accused his brother Bear Rinehart of sexual abuse.(X)

In the statement, Bo wrote that he is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, claiming he was abused by a camp counselor, a youth pastor, and his brother. While he did not directly name Bear in the initial post, he later shared a photo of Bear to his Instagram Story with the caption “sexual abuser.” The story has since been deleted.

NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bo Rinehart shared a photo of Bear to his Instagram Story with the caption “sexual abuser.”(Instagram/ Bo Rinehart)

Read the full statement:

“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 sexual abuse

I’ve been sexually abused by a Camp counselor

I’ve been sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my brother

And I’ve been abused by my youth pastor

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.

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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This is not the first time Bo has spoken publicly about surviving sexual abuse. In 2023, he discussed his healing journey in an interview with PEOPLE.

“It takes time,” Bo told PEOPLE. “At some point in our lives, we get to this stage — and it’s generally with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, it’s in their late 30s or early 40s — where it starts to surface whether you want it to or not. You’ll start to see how your life’s kind of breaking down.”

Bo and Bear Rinehart co-founded NEEDTOBREATHE in the early 2000s. Bo left the band in 2020. As of now, Bear Rinehart has not publicly responded to the allegations.