There is hardly any woman who has not been harassed or molested in her life. It can be on public buses, in workplaces, or on the road. But not many people know that not just women but men too often undergo this awful ordeal. It is very difficult to understand the emotions the terrible emotion that the person undergoes while recalling the traumatic moments.
At the same time, it takes a lot of courage to open up about one’s abuse. Over the years, many Indian celebrities have gone public and shared their tryst with sexual abuse. They have opened up about facing sexual abuse during their childhood and how they dealt with it. These celebs have been vocal about the importance of talking about it and raising awareness among the masses. Let us take a look at some popular celebs who have opened up about their ordeal with sexual abuse.
Neena Gupta is one of the iconic actresses of Bollywood, who is known for living her life on her own terms. In her autobiography, Sach Kahun Toh, Neena recalled being molested by an optician and a tailor during her childhood. Penning details about the same, Neena revealed how the optician, while examining her eye, checked other areas that were unconnected to it.
She also recounted how her tailor too got "too handsy" as he took her measurements. Since she had no choice, the actress had to visit him for measurements. Recalling why she never told her mother about her assault, Neena wrote:
“But I didn’t dare tell my mother about this because I was so scared that she would say that it was my fault. That I had probably said or done something to provoke him.”
Veteran actor, Piyush Mishra is hailed for his impeccable acting. In his autobiographical novel, Tumhari Auqaat Kya Hai Piyush Mishra, the actor revealed that he was sexually assaulted by a female relative when he was in seventh standard. The actor later told PTI that the incident had left a deep impact on him.
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Daughter of Anil Kapoor and Sunita Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor made her acting debut with Saawariya, and since then, there has been no looking back for her. In a conversation with film critic, Rajeev Masand’s The Actresses Roundtable, where she was joined by Anushka Sharma, Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan and Radhika Apte, Sonam addressed the traumatising experience. She was just 13 when the incident happened. Recalling the same, the actress said:
“There was a man who came from behind and just held my breasts like that. And obviously, I didn’t have breasts at that time. I started shaking and shivering and I didn’t know what was going on and I started crying right there. I didn’t speak about it. I just sat there and I finished watching the film because I felt that I’d done something wrong for the longest time.”
The stunning actress of Bollywood, Deepika Padukone, faced sexual abuse at the age of 14. In an interview with India Today, the actress opened up about the same and revealed that she was 14 or 15 when she, along with her parents and sister, were walking down the street. Suddenly, a man brushed past her. But instead of ignoring him, she held him by his collar and slapped him.
One of the highest-paid actors in Bollywood, Akshay Kumar, too, had his fair share of sexual abuse story from his childhood. During a conference on women’s safety, Akshay talked about the incident from his childhood and said:
“When I was six, I was on my way to a neighbour’s house when the lift man touched my butt. I was really agitated and told my father about it. He filed a police complaint. But even today, I find it difficult to say the word 'bum'.”
Dangal actress, Fatima Sana Shaikh, too, has been a victim of child sexual abuse. In an interview with Pinkvilla, the actress opened up about her horrific experience and stated that she was sexually molested at the mere age of three. The actress further revealed that there has always been a stigma attached to sexual abuse, and women were told not to talk about it as people would only blame the victim.
Ace filmmaker, Anurag Kashyap was sexually abused by a man for 11 long years during his childhood. In an interaction with a leading daily, Anurag revealed that he met his abuser after many years, but he was guilt-ridden. However, the actor tried to put the whole nightmare behind him and move on. However, it was very difficult to get over it.
In an interview with NDTV, actress Kalki Koechlin opened up about being a child sexual abuse survivor. The actress revealed that she was sexually exploited at the age of 9. The actress further mentioned that her biggest fear for her was that her mother would find out. She further revealed that for the longest of time, she felt it was her mistake and didn’t talk about it for years.
Sacred Games actress, Kubra Sait was 17 when she was sexually molested by a family friend. In her memoir, Open Book: Not Quite A Memoir, Kubra revealed that she was a victim of sexual abuse. The actress revealed how the uncle financially helped her family and started abusing her, frequently visiting their home and assaulting her while she had no option other than keeping it a secret. She stated that the man had grown like a virus in their home, and he would stop taking her mother’s phone calls if she resisted the unwanted touches of him.
The Queen of Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut, recalled being inappropriately touched during her childhood. During the show, Lock Upp, the actress revealed her experience with sexual abuse during her childhood when a guy three to four years older than her would touch her in an inappropriate manner.
Sexual abuse leaves a permanent scar, and it is impossible to comprehend the emotional turmoil the victim undergoes after the traumatising experience.
Also Read: Indian TV Actresses Who Suffered Domestic Violence And Physical Abuse In The Hands Of Their Partners
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