Rebecca Ferguson has opened up about how she was sexually abused as an eight-year-old child, when she was living in a children’s home.
The former ‘X Factor’ runner-up broke down in tears as she recounted her experience on Wednesday’s (23 November) ‘Loose Women’.
Rebecca felt compelled to share her story with panellists Ruth Langsford, Linda Robson, Saira Khan and Penny Lancaster, after Saira recalled the abuse she suffered at the hands of he uncle - something which she has spoken about on the show before.
As she tried to hold her emotions together, Rebecca told the women: “I was abused while I was in a children’s home.
“I’ve never said this - this is really weird.”
She continued: “I can relate to that... I’ve never spoken about it. I told one friend, but because of the subject, and as I’ve launched a website - this is the perfect place to speak about it.
“That is what I’m trying to do, make a safe place where women can speak about their problems.”
Rebecca went on to discuss how it affected her later in life, saying: “I think it affects a woman’s esteem, how you go on to be treated by men. It has a big effect.
“I think if someone has taken advantage of you from a young age, it’s very hard to have strong self-esteem. It’s taken me years to build it up.
“It was something I put to the back of my mind like it wasn’t there. You feel dirty like you’ve done something wrong. I think everyone knows I’m really bad at picking men,” she added.
Rebecca shot to fame on the seventh series of ‘The X Factor’ in 2010, finishing second to Matt Cardle.
After signing with Simon Cowell’s Syco record label, she went on to release four albums, the most recent of which - ‘Superwomen’ - reached number seven last month.
‘Loose Women’ airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV.
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