Shania Twain's stepfather turned his violence on her, too. She told The Guardian that he abused her "physically and psychologically." When asked whether the abuse was ever sexual, she hesitated before answering, "Oh yes, sexually ... I'm not going to go into details about it." She added that she didn't mind being open about the experience, however, because she wants people to know she survived it, and they can, too.
Twain was a little more open about the sexual abuse during an interview with The Times. "[I]t was terrible – you didn't want to be a girl in my house," she said, explaining that she started hiding her body because she became ashamed of it and wanted the abuse to stop. "I hid myself," she told the outlet. "I would wear bras that were too small for me, and I'd wear two, play it down until there was nothing girl about me. Make it easier to go unnoticed."
There were times she fought back against her abusive stepfather, specifically during one incident where an 11-year-old Twain hit him with a chair, breaking it. In retrospect, Twain thinks she managed to do that out of anger, not necessarily bravery.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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