Pamela Anderson says leak of her sex tape brought back the feeling of being raped at age 12
VANCOUVER, CANADA: Pamela Anderson likened the feeling of her sex tape being stolen and leaked to how it felt being raped at the age of 12. The 'Barb Wire' actress and her ex-husband Tommy Lee had a private sex tape stolen from their residence and sold online in 1995.
The leaked recording dominated headlines for years, and Anderson repeatedly criticized the way the media treated her in the aftermath of the leak. Now, the blonde bombshell has provided further context to the mental trauma she underwent following this breach of her privacy.
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Speaking to The Guardian, Anderson, 55, said she had been “raped by a 24-year-old friend of a friend” at the age of 12. “And not to bring up something heavy from my childhood, but when I was attacked by this guy, I thought everybody would know," she added. "When the tape was stolen, it felt like that. And the deposition was so brutal.” She was then asked whether she had previously discussed how the tape's release had brought back the feeling of being sexually assaulted all over again. Anderson confirmed she hadn't, explaining that it was hard “to squeeze into a [David] Letterman interview when all they want to talk about is your b**bs." The actress spoke out in another recent interview about how a female babysitter had sexualized her body at a young age, and that gravely impacted her self-image in the years that followed.
MEAWW previously reported how the 'Baywatch' star believed her past relationship with ex-husband Lee “may have been the only time [she] was ever truly in love." She reflected on her dating history, including her former relationship with the Mötley Crüe musician, in her new memoir 'Love, Pamela'. In an excerpt from the book shared with PEOPLE ahead of its release on January 31, 2022, Anderson wrote about the highs and lows of their whirlwind romance.
“My relationship with Tommy may have been the only time I was ever truly in love,” she wrote, adding, “We had fun and our rule was no rules.” The former couple tied the knot on a beach in Cancun in 1995 and are parents to two sons Brandon, 26, and Dylan, 25. Their marriage, however, came to an end in 1998 after three years of scathing tabloids and the paparazzi's relentless pursuit. Anderson also recalled how things changed with Lee after the theft of personal sex tapes from the couple’s garage. "It ruined lives, starting with our relationship — and it's unforgivable that people, still to this day, think they can profit from such a terrible experience, let alone a crime," she told People, admitting she has never watched the stolen tape herself.
Anderson is expected to release a documentary about her storied life and career later in January, titled 'Pamela, A Love Story.' The film is set to feature the star talking in-depth about the leaked tape, her family, as well as her relationships.
'Pamela, A Love Story' will be available to stream on Netflix on Tuesday, January 31.