Tom Petty opens up about abusive dad; "he beat the living hell out of me"

It seems we're seeing a lot of celebrities open up about their abusive fathers recently. I think that's good thing, as it increases awareness among young people who don't necessarily read statistical reports or articles on domestic violence or child abuse.

http://www.spinner.com/2009/11/30/tom-petty-violent-dad/

Tom Petty Opens Up About Abusive Father

Posted on Nov 30th 2009 11:30AM by John D. Luerssen

Tom Petty has come clean about his upbringing and says he still has nightmares about his violent father. According to Petty, his old man didn't understand his love of the arts and thought he was homosexual because he had no interest in playing football or baseball. Petty also says he loathed joining his dad, an outdoorsman, on hunting trips.

"(My father) was scary and violent," Petty said in the new issue of Rolling Stone. "He beat the living hell out of me, and there was constant verbal abuse."

"Looking back on it, he probably was disappointed that I was so drawn to the arts," the rocker added. "He probably thought I was gay. I wasn't interested in sports. I didn't know the names of any baseball players. I liked films and books and records."

"He liked to fish and hunt," Petty explained. "He'd drag me on these trips, and it was a nightmare. Shooting something repelled me."