Ellen DeGeneres opens about being sexually assaulted by her stepfather as a teenager

‘It angers me when victims aren’t believed, because we just don’t make stuff up’

(Getty)

Ellen DeGeneres has opened up about being sexually assaulted by her stepfather as a teenager, saying that she felt “angry” at herself for not standing up to him.

DeGeneres speaks about her “horrible” experience in a new episode of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, due to be released on Netflix on Friday.

During the interview, the talk show host recounts how her mother married her stepfather when DeGeneres was a teenager.

DeGeneres explains how, shortly after the marriage, DeGeneres’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy.

The 61-year-old says that her stepfather took advantage of this information in order to feel her breasts.

“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,” DeGeneres tells Letterman.

“I’m angry at myself because – you know, I didn’t – I was too weak to stand up to – I was 15 or 16.”

DeGeneres adds that while her experience is a “really horrible, horrible story”, the reason why she’s going into detail recalling what occurred “is because I want other girls to not ever let someone do that”.

The Finding Dory star hopes that by sharing her story, other sexual assault survivors will feel encouraged to speak out about their experiences.

“We just don’t feel like we’re worthy, or we’re scared to have a voice, and we’re scared to say no. That’s the only reason I think it’s important to talk about it because there’s so many young girls and it doesn’t matter how old you are,” she states.

“When I see people speaking out, especially now, it angers me when victims aren’t believed, because we just don’t make stuff up.”

This isn’t the first time DeGeneres has opened up about the sexual assault she suffered during her childhood.

In October last year, the talk show host spoke with actor Busy Philipps on The Ellen DeGeneres Show about being sexually assaulted at 15.

“You just get so angry when someone doesn’t believe you or say, ‘Why did you wait so long?’” she said. “It’s because we’re girls and we’re taught not to say anything and go along with it.”

To find a Sexual Abuse Referral Centre, click here.

You can contact the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre helpline by calling 0808 802 9999. The helpline is open every day from 12pm to 2.30pm and from 7pm to 9.30pm.