An Abuser on the Ballot

Clark Fredericks sits down with Anne-Marie — a survivor of non-stranger assault who spent decades in silence, then discovered her abuser was running for city council in Melrose, Massachusetts. What she did next took courage. What happened after tested everything. Anne-Marie lost her mother at seven and grew up near Boston in a home ruled by an abusive stepmother. As a high school senior on an unsupervised spring break trip to Bermuda, she was sexually assaulted by a male classmate after a night of drinking — an experience she buried for years under shame, silence, and self-doubt.It wasn't until the Brock Turner case resurfaced her trauma that she reached out to her abuser directly. Then in 2023, a Facebook message from a former roommate revealed he was campaigning for public office. Anne-Marie consulted legal counsel, posted a public statement — and faced denials, smear tactics, and retaliation.Now she's fighting to strengthen Massachusetts anti-SLAPP and defamation protections so survivors who speak out aren't punished for telling their truth.