“It is just time for us to have a voice. It’s time for us to have power”
WORDS BY BEATRIZ VASQUES, IMAGE VIA INSTAGRAM
While filming an episode of Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres recalled being sexually assaulted as a teenager.
According to ET, the comedian mentioned her mother being married to a “very bad man” at the time, after being diagnosed with breast cancer and having one of her breasts removed.
DeGeneres said the man used this information to sexually assault her. “He told me when she was out of town that he’d felt a lump in her breast and needed to feel my breasts because he didn’t want to upset her, but he needed to feel mine.” she said.
In the interview, DeGeneres mentioned that the only reason she’s now coming forward with her story is to protect other girls who might be going through the same torment, as well as encourage those who are suffering in silence to stand up for themselves, whenever possible.
“It’s a really horrible, horrible story and the only reason I’m actually going to go into detail about it is because I want other girls to not ever let someone do that,” she said.
“We [women] just don’t feel like we’re worthy, or we’re scared to have a voice, and we’re scared to say no. It is just time for us to have a voice. It’s time for us to have power.”
The comedian also went on to mention the victim-blaming and shaming that a great number of victims go through upon speaking out about their ordeals:
“When I see people speaking out, it angers me when victims aren’t believed because we just don’t make stuff up,
“I like men, but there are so many men that get away with so much,” DeGeneres concluded.
If this story affected you please refer to The Survivors Trust, Safeline, Rape Crisis UK or UK LGBTQI anti-violence charity Galop.
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