Ellen DeGeneres shares an important message about childhood sexual abuse

The #MeToo movement has encouraged women from all walks of life to share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse.

Actress Busy Philipps shared her moving story on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, describing that she was raped when she was 14. Philipps explained that she had been inspired by Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged that Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager.

Phillipps said:

I was so moved by her bravery.

It wasn’t something that I ever felt I was ever going to blast out on social media, but when I saw her standing there speaking her truth after 30 years, I was like, ‘It’s been 25 years for me, and I can do this.'

Politically, whatever you believe, I feel like it’s a real moment of reckoning for women, that we have collectively carried this burden for so long and it’s time to share it.

Phillipp’s bravery prompted DeGeneres to share her own story, which she has discussed previously.

She said:

I was 15 and I had something happen to me. When I watched Dr. Ford — anyone who has had something happen to them, you just get so angry when someone doesn’t believe you or says, ‘Why did you wait so long?’

It’s because we’re girls and we’re taught not to say anything and go along with it

So you at 14, me at 15, God knows how many people in this audience have had something happen.

After Ford’s critics, including president Trump, criticised her for not coming forward with her allegations sooner, Philipps said she only told her family about the rape about five months ago. Thankfully, she is hopeful that attitudes are changing. She said:

We can do better for our kids and the next generation, and we will

DeGeneres said that children need to confident and secure enough to come forward with their experiences.

I think this conversation needs to happen more and people need to, first of all, teach your children to speak up, and don’t ever keep something in and don’t ever be ashamed and think that it’s your problem and your fault because it’s never your fault. You’re a child

H/T: Today

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