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Angela Bassett recently opened up about being sexually assaulted as a child. Bassett describes the tragic incident as “devastating.”
According to reports, Bassett can recall a man her mother was dating, fondling her while she was asleep. “Fortunately, it wasn’t a complete assault, it was fondling, but it was devastating enough for a child who’s 12 or 13,” she said.
Bassett express that her mother did not hesitate to believe her when she opened up about it. “Thankfully, to have a mother who could tell as soon as light broke that this happened and for her to expel him,” she added. “That she heard me, believed me and did something about it, I think was so empowering for me as a young teen, as a young woman.”
The Oscar-nominated actress has 13-year-old twins, and she is teaching them early. “I started that early because of experiences with friends and I know that they will be in situations one day,” she said. “When a girl says no, both to him and to her, she means no.”