Former Neighbors star Madeleine West has opened up about her battle with anorexia for the first time after revealing she was a victim of childhood sexual abuse.
Speaking to Stellar magazine this week, the 42-year-old said the trauma of the abuse has led her to become obsessed with looking “perfect” – a quest that is both “punitive” and never-ending.
“For any sexually abused person, what happened to them will manifest in their life as self-destructive behavior,” she told the publication.
Former Neighbors star Madeleine West, 42, has spoken out for the first time about her battle with anorexia after revealing she was a victim of childhood sexual abuse
“It’s never, never your fault. What happened to them is a cross to bear.”
West revealed that in her early teens, not long after the abuse stopped, she developed anorexia as a coping mechanism.
“I was stripped of my autonomy over my body, so to demonstrate that I had some control over it, I denied that simplest desire: hunger,” explains West.
West revealed that in her early teens, not long after the abuse stopped, she developed anorexia as a coping mechanism
“I just wouldn’t eat, then I overexerted myself. Pain and hunger made me feel something because I had become accustomed to operating in a state of total numbness.’
It comes weeks after the mother-of-six claimed she was regularly abused by a “monster” who lived in the town where she grew up.
She told The Sun about the alleged abuse: “This monster has ruined my life. I came out the other side, yes, a survivor but happy to hold the title of victim.
I was stripped of my autonomy over my body, so to demonstrate that I have some control over it, I denied that simplest of desires: hunger,” explains West
“Justice can be achieved. It was never your fault and never will be, it’s not your fault.’
“I seek justice now. Anyone out there posting, watching, or hurting a child, your time is up. The wheel turns.’
She has now started a new podcast called Predatory to shed light on pedophilia with ex-detective Gary Jubelin.
It comes weeks after the mother-of-six claimed she was regularly abused by a “monster” who lived in the town where she grew up. Pictured: Madeleine as a child
Madeleine reveals in the confrontational first episode of her podcast that finding the courage to speak up is extremely difficult for victims of sexual abuse.
“You worry that people will see you as a deficit. What worries me is how small I was,” she tells her co-host Gary.
In the first episode, Madeleine tearfully reveals that she was only five years old when the abuse began and lasted five years.
She has now started a new podcast called Predatory to shed light on the issue of pedophilia alongside ex-detective Gary Jubelin (right).
She said: “I knew from the start it wasn’t right. I think everyone does. What’s so worrying is that people keep looking the other way.
The actress has now gone public with her story after decades of keeping it secret so she can help other sufferers.
She claimed she was sexually abused by a “monster” as a child and launched the True Crime podcast to raise awareness of the difficult issue.
The actress has now gone public with her story after decades of keeping it secret so she can help other sufferers
Madeleine has revealed that the alleged abuser lived in the same town as her and that the abuse was regular – sometimes even daily. She did not reveal any further details of the attack and did not name the alleged perpetrator.
She told The Sun about the alleged abuse: “This monster has ruined my life. I came out the other side, yes, a survivor but happy to hold the title of victim.
“Justice can be achieved. It was never your fault and never will be, it’s not your fault.’
“I seek justice now. Anyone out there posting, watching, or hurting a child, your time is up. The wheel turns.’
The star is also calling for a national public child sex registry in Australia and will campaign for changes in the law to fairly compensate victims.
Madeline played Dione ‘Dee’ Bliss and Andrea Somers on the soap opera from 2000 to 2020 and also starred in the 2007 WWE film The Condemned.
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