Brooke Shields Reflects On The Impact Of Being S*xualized At A Young Age

Brooke Shields recently spoke out about her experience of being sexualized when she was only 11 years old. She's “amazed” that she “survived” that!

The 57-year-old actress got emotional while talking about her past during the trailer of her documentary Pretty Baby. She opened up about how she was thrown into adult s*xuality at a young age, and it hit her hard.

Brooke even teared up while talking about it. One moment, in particular, stayed with her, and she said, “That always just seared me.”

People had a lot of different things to say about her, from calling her the “most photographed woman in the world” to describe her as a “s*xualized child model” and “object of desire.”

Brooke Shields' new documentary is named after one of her earliest films, where she played a child prostitute. She reflects on how she was often reduced to just being a “pretty face” and the impact that had on her.

When Brooke Shields was just a pre-teen, a male reporter called her “an exquisite-looking young lady” and a “pretty girl.”

At the age of 16 in 1981, Brooke was chosen to be on the cover of Time Magazine as the face of the 80s era. It’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to be thrust into the spotlight at such a young age. Brooke herself was surprised and asked, “Who decides that?”

Brooke Shields also opened up about her struggles to find her voice, especially when she was younger. She “wasn't told it was important to have agency.”

After struggling to find her voice, Brooke Shields eventually gained the confidence to speak up. She realized that it was vital for her to have her “own opinion” and her “own voice.”

Brooke also shared her thoughts about finally being able to embrace her humanity.“Now, it's like I'm allowed to be a human being,” she said at the end of the trailer.

Brooke Shields opened up about a traumatic experience she had after graduating from college. In the same documentary, she revealed that she was raped in 1987.

She took a break from Hollywood to attend Princeton University in the 80s after graduation. Only some days do you see a celebrity taking a break to focus on their education.

Brooke allegedly experienced an uncomfortable situation upon returning to the entertainment industry. She sat at a dinner with a man to discuss acting opportunities, but he reportedly convinced her to return to his hotel.

Shields recounted a disturbing encounter when she got up to the hotel, and the man she was having dinner with disappeared for a while and returned to the hotel room naked.

In the documentary, Shields shared how she froze and didn't fight back much. She recalled thinking that one “no” should have been enough and just wanted to stay alive and escape the situation.

Shields also revealed that she had previously learned how to disconnect from her body as a child actress, which made it easier for her to cope with the trauma of s*xual assault.“God knows I knew how to be disassociated from my body. I’d practiced that,” she said.

Brooke Shields shared that she didn't come to terms with her rape until years after it happened. To make matters worse, she even felt guilty and held herself responsible for the assault.

Shields recalled a conversation with her alleged abuser, where he tried to manipulate her by telling her he could trust her and not others. She described it as “so cliché, it's practically pathetic.”

The actress blamed herself for the assault; “I believed somehow I put out a message, and that was how the message was received. I drank wine at dinner. I went up to the room. I just was so trusting.”