This article contains details of alleged sexual abuse which some readers may find distressing.
In a new season of My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman, talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres opened up on a traumatic period in her childhood when she says she was sexually abused by her mother's former partner.
The popular chat show host says her abuser used her mother Betty's breast cancer diagnosis as a way to take advantage of her when she was 15-years-old.
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On the Netflix show, Ellen said: "He told me when she was out of town that he'd felt a lump in her breast and needed to feel my breasts because he didn't want to upset her, but he needed to feel mine.
"Again, 'cause I didn't know about bodies, I don't know that breasts are all different and... Anyway, he convinced me that he needs to feel my breasts and then he tries to do it again another time, and then another time."
The 61-year-old host also explained to the chat show host that she didn't tell her mum at the time as she didn't want to "ruin her happiness".
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When she did tell her mum, Ellen says she didn't believe her.
Ellen says her mum went on to stay with the person for 18 years, later leaving him because he "changed his story so many times".
Ellen admitted that it "angers" her when abuse victims come forward and are not believed. She added that she wants other people to feel like they can tell their own stories.
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She said: "It is just time for us to have a voice. It's time for us to have power."
If you've been affected by this and need support, please contact Victim Support here.
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction is available to stream now on Netflix.
Topics: Netflix UK, TV and Film, Netflix, TV