Vanessa Williams went public in 2012 about being sexual assaulted by a woman when she was 10, writing about it in her memoir “You Have No Idea.”
Recently, Teri Hatcher and Lady Gaga spoke out about sexual assaults in their past. Williams told FOX411 why she decided to share her traumatic event, and how she can relate to Bill Cosby’s alleged victims.
“I wanted young girls to be able to identify to know you’re not alone. The scary thing is the people that come up to you that have similar stories," Williams said. "It’s the most disturbing part of it. It’s made me who I am, but the reality is how often it happens is the really sad part.”
As many as 26 alleged victims have said they were sexually assaulted by Cosby, and Williams explained why these women may have spoken out now.
“The stories are certainly consistent. It’s really unfortunate the tales that were told that are varied but similar, but it’s the abuse of power," she said. "If these allegations are true, these women were trusting, and hoping that someone can be a mentor. It’s shocking.”
“It’s part of these women’s journey," Williams added. "It comes down to betrayal. Besides the physical act, it’s a betrayal. It’s one of the things that would make you act out.”
Williams, 51, is currently out promoting M&M's Crispy, for which she voices the character Mrs. Brown in TV and online ads.
WATCH: Four4Four: Miley Cyrus, Bill Cosby, Lena Dunham and purloined pics
Trending
Who's making headlines in television, music, movies and more from Hollywood to the Heartland.