NEW DELHI: Hollywood has been stormed with the stories of actresses experiencing sexual harassment from the powerful men of the industry and more stories are coming day after day as the ladies finally are feeling normal to talk about such incidents.
Actress Bella Thorne has joined the long list of actresses speaking about their horrifying experience in the industry and revealed that she sexually abused as a child.
The 20-year-old actress wrote in a photo caption on Instagram that she was “mistreated” at an early age. The actress doesn’t name her alleged abuser, but writes that the abuse stopped when she was 14.
Alongside a photo of herself bundled up in a jacket, she wrote, “I was sexually abused and physically growing up from the day I can remember till I was 14, when I finally had the courage to lock my door at night and sit by it. All damn night. Waiting for someone to take advantage of my life again. Over and over I waited for it to stop and finally it did.”
She added, “But some of us aren’t as lucky to get out alive. Please today stand up for every soul Mistreated.”
She finished her post with the hashtag #TimesUp.
Her fans shared the message on various social media accounts and came out in full-support of her. Thorne thanked her fans for their support after she revealed that she was molested throughout her childhood.
The former Disney star posted a tearful video to Instagram, in which she haltingly encouraged those fans sharing their own stories, telling them, “I'm so proud of you guys.”
Bella added, “Stay strong. Peace. I love you guys.”
Thorne is the latest actress to co-sign the #TimesUp initiative, an action plan and legal defense fund that promotes gender and racial parity across all industries.
At last night’s Golden Globes, attendees blacked out the red carpet with fashion statements in solidarity with victims of sexual abuse and harassment.