Brooke Shields has revealed she was sexually assaulted 30 years ago by a powerful Hollywood executive.
The Blue Lagoon actress, 57, made the admission to People magazine, admitting she blamed herself when it happened.
“It’s taken me a long time to process it,” she said of the assault. “I’m more angry now than I was able to be then.”
Watch a clip from the interview above.
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Noting that the assault occurred when she was in her 20s, Shields added, “If you’re afraid, you’re rightfully so. They are scary situations. They don’t have to be violent to be scary.”
In the interview, Shields revealed that she had just graduated from Princeton University when the rape occurred.
She claims she went to dinner with the Hollywood executive, thinking she was set to land a movie job, when he invited her to make a call for a taxi from his hotel room.
He assaulted her there.
In the documentary, Shields recalls the moment, “I didn’t fight. I just froze.”
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Shields revealed that at the time of the assault, she felt that no one would believe her if she opened up about it.
“People weren’t believing those stories back then. I thought I would never work again,” she said. But now, the famous actress is speaking up about the experience in her new documentary, Brooke Shields: Pretty Baby, which will premiere on Hulu in April.
Shields said that she was pushed to do the documentary was to help other survivors.
“The reason why I felt compelled [to tell my story]… was to be an advocate. For women to be able to speak their truth, and process it. Process whatever it is, the way they need to.”
Shields also opened up about the shame she experienced afterwards, and the intense self-criticism she had.
“I kept saying, ‘I shouldn’t have done that. Why did I go up with him? I shouldn’t have had that drink at dinner'” she recalled.
“It was really easy to disassociate because by then it was old hat,” she added. “And because it was a fight-or-flight type of choice. Fight was not an option, so you just leave your body. ‘You’re not there. It didn’t happen.'”
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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.