Yahoo News America Ferrera reveals sexual assault at age 9
Warning: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct that some readers may find upsetting.
America Ferrera has revealed that she was sexually assaulted when she was only nine years old.
Ferrera, best known for TV series Ugly Betty and How to Train Your Dragon movies, opened up as part of the '#MeToo' protest, a social media hashtag calling for survivors of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories to give people a sense of how widespread both are.
A post shared by America Ferrera (@americaferrera) on Oct 16, 2017 at 6:52pm PDT
Ferrera wrote on Instagram: "Me too. First time I can remember being sexually assaulted I was 9 years old. I told no one and lived with the shame and guilt thinking all along that I, a 9 year old child, was somehow responsible for the actions of a grown man.
"I had to see this man on a daily basis for years to come. He would smile at me and wave, and I would hurry past him, my blood running cold, my guts carrying the burden of what only he and I knew-that he expected me to shut my mouth and smile back."
She continued: "Ladies, let's break the silence so the next generation of girls won't have to live with this bullshit."
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, thousands of women are speaking out to show how widespread sexual harassment and assault really is.
Women from all over the world have united on social media with the hashtag 'MeToo' to share their stories of being sexually harassed or assaulted in some way throughout their lives.
Among the celebrities tweeting the hashtag are Lady Gaga, Lily Allen and Westworld star Evan Rachel Wood.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you've been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland's helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
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