Dear Melrose City Council,

          Building on the statement I made back at the end of April in support of the Melrose City Council's 
resolution affirming the goals and ideals of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I am writing to share 
my two most recent blog posts.  This is the most current one that I published yesterday titled "How Abusers Twist the
Truth: Denial, Attacks, & DARVO (Part 1)"  And this was my first blog post from a couple of weeks ago simply titled "My First
Blog Post!"  Please share these blog posts with your friends, family, and neighbors! The issues and subject matter I address are deeply relevant not only at the federal, state, and local Melrose level, but unfortunately, on a personal level for far too many people.
         

          Also, I would like to address Ward Hamilton directly here . . . (Redacted) said that you are going around telling people that my roommates from the trip don't even believe me [that you sexually assaulted me] which could not be further from the truth. They know and have always known. It is not even a matter of believing me, they believe themselves. They were right there in the aftermath and know what you did. They saw the condition I was in and what you did to my clothes 
that I was wearing. They are grown-ups (unlike you) and they know that a person who is that intoxicated cannot consent to sexual activity and they know that I was not even sexual active at the time and otherwise very inexperienced in that department. Your behavior that night was extremely predatory and my roommates know that. They were also drinking that night and know that it could have happened to any one of us, but you zero'ed in on me.
         

          You or one of your close friends wrote on Reddit that I have some measure of blame for being sexually assaulted by you. Victims are never to blame for being sexually assaulted. The fault is always and only on the perpetrator. It does not matter what the victim was wearing, if she was flirting, if she was drinking, or if she was small in stature/size. Even if both people were drinking. One person commits a crime while drunk and the other person is the victim of a crime while intoxicated. Drunk drivers are held accountable even though they are drunk when committing the crime.

         

         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

          (Roommate 1) and I have been having conversations about this dating back to the late 90s.  (Roommate 2) and I first had private message communications about all of this starting in 2017, well before you ran for public office, and continuing as recently as 2023. I have the screenshots with (Roommate 2) that I can share with anyone who would like to see them. I texted with (Roommate 1) last week and told her that you are saying this to people and she said:

 

"That is ridiculous. It is amazing that he hasn't actually spoken to any of us. I can't ever recall ever having a conversation with him. Like ever! Ignore his noise."

 

I can arrange a conversation with (Roommate 1) with anyone who would like to speak with her or email her.
         

          I will not put them in harm's way by asking them to make a statement on social media which would likely subject them to the same vicious attacks that I have had to endure from you and your townie friends over the last two years. You have already retaliated against Andrea for supporting me and for sending me the press release back in 2023 that you were running for city council. You did this by getting yourself appointed as an admin of the Melrose High 1990 Facebook group and blocking her the same way you did to me. You did this to her because she is not a Melrose townie and you know 
that you can't control her. She is a threat to your whole facade. Innocent people do not do weird things like that. You are a disgrace as a community leader and a human being.
         

          This link contains information that could also be helpful to you and your friends. As you or them wrote on Reddit (see attached screenshot) that this could not have been sexual assault (and is only regret) because this was not an incident where brutal physical for was used which is normally the case in non stranger sexual assaults. An incapacity person does not need to be subdued with physical force. All sexual assault/abuse is an act of violence against the victim which is why the all encompassing term “sexual violence” is how it is regularly referred.

 

Have a great weekend everyone!
Anne Marie Hauben