Rivers was the keynote speaker at the annual benefit luncheon for "Stand For Families, Free of Violence." Rivers spoke to ABC7 News Anchor Cheryl Jennings, who emceed the event, about the abuse he endured as a child.
"I grew up in a home where domestic violence and child abuse took place at the level of torture. When I say that I'm not exaggerating. As a child I was beaten I was tied up, I was locked in closets, I was hammered, I was burned to name a few things that happened, but also what I had to witness was harder, which was the unbelievable brutality against my mother," said Rivers.
Rivers is a now a national spokesman for victims of abuse and he wrote a memoir called "Not A Private Family Matter." It's used in prevention programs around the country.
