South Middlesex Times

Shari Botwin's journey from a troubled youth to a recognized advocate for survivors of sexual abuse is both poignant and inspiring. Beginning her academic pursuit at Rutgers School of Social Work, Botwin was far from the accomplished trauma therapist she has become. At 22, fresh from graduating with honors in psychology from Hofstra University, she returned to Cherry Hill unsure about her future.

The environment she returned to was fraught with memories of past abuse by her father and silence from her mother. Despite this challenging backdrop, Botwin held onto hope. "I clung to the belief that someday, someone would hear me," she recalls.

Today, Botwin is a licensed clinical social worker who serves as an expert witness in high-profile civil cases involving sexual abuse, including against singer R. Kelly. Her personal struggles have endowed her with empathy and compassion—qualities that now define her professional life.

Botwin's path was not straightforward. She initially aimed to be a school social worker but found herself drawn to courses on depression and trauma during her time at Rutgers. These subjects resonated deeply with her own experiences, bringing buried emotions to the surface.

During this period, social work professor Myrna Marcus became an important mentor. "I wrote about having suicidal thoughts in a paper," Botwin remembers. "She recognized something was wrong." Despite internal battles and an eating disorder, Botwin persevered through the program while working as a dancer to support herself financially.

After completing her MSW in 1996, she began working at the Renfrew Center in Philadelphia where she confronted issues similar to those faced by her patients. With therapeutic guidance, she acknowledged years of denial concerning familial abuse.

Botwin eventually opened a practice specializing in trauma recovery and published books on overcoming abuse such as "Thriving After Trauma: Stories of Living and Healing" and "Stolen Childhoods: Thriving After Abuse." These works aim to provide validation and guidance for those dealing with trauma.

Debra Goldsborough, a friend from Rutgers School of Social Work, expressed surprise upon learning about Botwin's history but praised her bravery: “Shari always had this huge electric personality.”

In addition to therapy work, Botwin contributes insights into trauma through speaking engagements and media contributions. Her legal advocacy began when prosecutors requested her testimony in sexual abuse trials like those against R. Kelly after meeting them during Cosby trials where she attended as a writer and advocate.

Among notable cases was one involving Stuart Copperman accused of abusing numerous women as children—a process described by Botwin as powerful due to each survivor’s individual hearing over two years.

Despite family estrangement following unresolved past issues—her father passed away without reconciliation—Botwin remains committed personally raising a teenage son while offering advice for others suffering trauma: “Tell someone... Find a witness... You are not broken.”