'I hope it doesn't define me,' says the 25-year-old actress, who is 'grateful' for the support she received after sharing the story of the sexual assault she suffered at young age.
- Jan 24, 2018
AceShowbiz - Kaya Scodelario is opening up about the "horrific" sexual assault she suffered at the young age of 12. The Teresa Agnes of "The Maze Runner" film series who spoke up for the first time in a series of tweets as part of the #MeToo movement in October now said that she's "grateful" for the support she received after sharing her own story.
"The response was wonderful, it was a relief but I am still dealing with it, and I am now dealing with a new side of it, which is this. I will be asked about it forever now," Kaya told Metro U.K. when promoting her new movie, "Maze Runner: The Death Cure", in London. "I hope it doesn't define me but it will always be under my name and I accept that -- but I am proud I was brave enough to do it and I am grateful for the support I had from friends."
Kaya, now 25, said that she got the strength to go public with her own experience following the outpouring of stories from women in the wake of Harvey Weinstein scandal. "I remember thinking that if I was 12-years-old and I had this horrific thing happen to me but I saw a woman I admired speaking up about it," she explained.
She continued, "It would have made me feel less guilty, and it would have inspired me to think 'this won't hold me back, this is something that has happened but I am not a victim.' " She said that she "thought if I can do that for one person then I owe it to my 12-year-old self."
In mid October, Kaya tweeted, "It's taken me 13 years to say #MeToo .He is still protected by 'family members' in Brazil. They've told lies to papers to try to silence me." She added, "No more. #MeToo."
She followed up with more tweets, sharing, "I want to thank every single person who has spoken out about sexual assault/harassment recently. You've given me the courage to finally speak out and not be afraid." She continued, "To everyone still suffering silently, you never asked for it. NOBODY DOES."
"I do this for my son," the "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" actress concluded, "So that he will see one day that we all have a voice. And that this behavior can not be tolerated any longer."
Kaya is happily married to American actor and comedian Benjamin Walker. They tied the knot in December 2015 and welcomed a son in November 2016.
