12 Celebs Who Have Opened Up About Being Sexually Assaulted
In recent times, conversations about sexual assault have been more open and women are feeling more empowered to come forward to open out about their own stories. This is true across a variety of industries, including the entertainment industry. The #MeToo movement has helped open the conversation even further, and these celebs have been brave enough to share their personal accounts of assault. Here are 12 celebrities who have been sexually assaulted:
1. Ashley Graham
Model Ashley Graham wrote about her experience in her memoir. She was molested by a family friend when she was just 10 years old. The 18-year-old son of the family friend forced her to touch his erection, and she quickly fled the room they were in following a day of swimming.
2. Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is one of the celebrities who have been sexually assaulted that spoke out about her experience on Howard Stern’s radio show. When she was 19, she was raped by a man who was 20 years older than she was. She never reported the rape. In 2016, the singer released her song, “Til it Happens to You,” which was written for a film about sexual assault on college campuses.
3. Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah told Essence that she was sexually assaulted as a child by a teenage boy who was taking care of her at the time. She did not tell anybody that it happened, but she stated that the experience led to her having commitment issues.
4. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey has been open about the multiple sexual assault experiences she has faced. The first one was when she was raped by a cousin when she was 9 years old. When she was 14, she was sexually assaulted, which resulted in pregnancy, but she lost the baby after giving birth.
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oprah_Winfrey_at_2011_TCA.jpg5. Madonna
Madonna opened up about her experience on Howard Stern’s show. She was on her way to her dance class in NYC right after she moved there when she was 19. The door was locked, and when she asked a man for money to use a payphone, he told her that she could use his car to use his phone. She followed him and was raped.
6. Amy Schumer
Comedian Amy Schumer told Marie Claire about her two experiences with sexual assault, both being experiences of non-consensual sex. The first time was when she lost her virginity and found her date inside her. The second experience was with a boyfriend who kept pursuing her for sex and ignoring her when she said “No” repetitively.
Image: Mario Santoro via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amy_Schumer_by_Mario_Santor.jpg7. Kesha
Singer Kesha was caught up in a legal battle with Dr. Luke, a music producer, who she accused of sexually assaulting and mentally abusing her. She used the experience as a launching point to empower her fans, returning better than ever.
8. Keke Palmer
Actress Keke Palmer spoke about her experience when she was on the Wendy Williams Show. She was sexually abused by a female cousin when she was 5 years old. Palmer revealed that the abuser is still in her life and they have a normal relationship now.
9. Abigail Breslin
Actress Abigail Breslin posted her story on Instagram in a series of post about Sexual Assault Awareness Month. She shared that the person who committed the act was someone she was in a relationship with and that all assault stories matter, whether or not they are reported.
10. Shia Labeouf
While we mostly hear about women being the victims of sexual assault, we often forget that it can happen to men. Shia Labeouf told Dazed and Confused that he was raped in his dressing room by a female audience member following one of his art performances of #IAMSORRY as his girlfriend waited for him outside the dressing room.
11. Ashley Judd
Actress Ashley Judd was oneof the celebrities who have been sexually assaulted by Harvey Weinstein in the New York Times. The incident took place in a Beverly Hills hotel room back in 1997. She told those closest to her, but, back then, there were not many places where she could publicly share what had happened.
12. Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift was sexually assaulted by Denver radio host David Mueller in 2013. During a meet-and-greet, Mueller put his hand under her skirt and grabbed her buttocks. Swift reported him to radio executives and he was fired, and he sued her for damages. The trial inspired others to speak up about their experiences.
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taylor_Swift,_2012.jpgWhat do you think about these celebrities who have been sexually assaulted? Let us know in the comment section below!
