America Ferrera reveals she was sexually assaulted when she was 9 years old
In wake of the dozens of damning allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Alyssa Milano's #MeToo hashtag has encouraged thousands of people to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault over the past few days.
Now, actress America Ferrera is taking part in the effort to raise awareness.
Ferrera shared an emotional Instagram post on Monday night about her first memory of sexual assault, which she says took place when she was just nine years old.
SEE ALSO:Jennifer Lawrence shares her own account of sexual harassment faced in Hollywood"I told no one and lived with the shame and guilt thinking all along that I, a 9 year old child, was somehow responsible for the actions of a grown man," Ferrera wrote.
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Ferrera — an activist who spoke for the rights and equality of women at the Women's March in Washington, D.C. earlier this year — went on to explain that she had to see the man who sexually assaulted her "on a daily basis for years," which made things even more difficult.
"He would smile at me and wave, and I would hurry past him, my blood running cold, my guts carrying the burden of what only he and I knew," she wrote. "That he expected me to shut my mouth and smile back."
Ferrara joins prominent actors and actresses — like Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Rosanna Arquette, Katherine Kendall, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lawrence, and more — who've publicly shared their stories of sexual harassment and assault.
Like many others who have spoken up since the allegations against Weinstein, Ferrera hopes her bravery will inspire others to speak out as well.
She ended her Instagram post with the following call to action: "Ladies, let's break the silence so the next generation of girls won't have to live with this bullshit."
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