Valerie Bertinelli is sharing one of the most painful parts of her life for the first time, and her story is heartbreaking.
In her new memoir, Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect, the beloved TV star reveals that she was sexually abused when she was just 11 years old. It is a deeply personal confession, and one she says she is finally ready to make after years of healing.
Bertinelli explains that she included a photo of herself from that age in the book because she wanted readers to see the little girl who went through that trauma. Looking back, she says it still angers her that something so terrible happened to her — and that so many children are still suffering similar abuse today.
Her story is not just about what happened. It is about what came after.
The former Food Network star says the trauma affected her for years in ways she did not fully understand at the time. She now believes it played a major role in the shame, self-loathing, and body struggles she carried into adulthood.
Bertinelli has long been open about her battles with weight and self-image, but now she says those struggles were tied to something much deeper. The pain she carried was never really about her body, but that became the place where she took out all of her hurt.
She says she was far too hard on herself for years, and that she had to work through the negative thoughts that had taken root in her mind.
When she first spoke about the abuse out loud in therapy, she thought it would immediately make her feel better. Instead, she says the opposite happened. Things got harder before they got easier.
Facing the trauma forced her to sit with emotions she had buried for years. It was painful, uncomfortable, and messy. But she kept going.
Now, Bertinelli says she no longer feels shame about what happened to her. Instead, she feels angry. Angry that it happened at all. Angry that any child has to endure something like that.
And most importantly, she says it does not control her anymore.
The actress also revealed that a major anxiety attack at the end of 2024 became a turning point. The overwhelming moment pushed her to realize she still had more healing to do, and it led her to dig even deeper into the pain she had been carrying.
She says she did not originally plan to write about being a survivor of childhood sexual abuse in the memoir. At first, the book was meant to focus more on self-love and personal growth. But as she continued healing, she realized she was finally ready to tell the truth.
That, she says, made it feel less frightening.
Bertinelli is now able to say out loud that she was sexually assaulted, and she says it no longer feels like that experience owns her life. That may be one of the most powerful parts of her story.
For fans who have followed her for decades — from her breakout role on One Day at a Time to her success as an actress, author, and Food Network personality — this is a side of Bertinelli they have never seen before.
It is a painful revelation, but it is also a powerful one.
After years of carrying this privately, Valerie Bertinelli is finally telling her story in her own words — and showing what it looks like to survive, heal, and take that power back.
love her, look how far she’s come