Julianne Hough has just dropped a bombshell that’s set to rock her fans and the reality T.V. world alike.

The former Dancing with the Stars diva and Footloose star has candidly opened up about a dark chapter from her early years that she’s never shared before.

In a gripping interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show, Hough revealed that her first encounter with sexual abuse happened when she was merely “about 4 years old” in Utah.

The perpetrator? A “neighbor” who made that period of her childhood a “very confusing time.”

Julianne Claims A Neighbor Assaulted Her

The 36-year-old star, who has dazzled audiences with her moves and charisma, admitted that discussing these harrowing experiences publicly is a first for her. “There was not a lot of repercussion for what had happened – and by the way, I’m not the only one in my family that had gone through similar things,” she said.

“And so that was a very challenging thing to come to terms with. Nobody did anything,” Julianne continued.

For years, the reality star pushed these painful memories to the back of her mind. It wasn’t until she began working through her past in recent years that she truly confronted them.

“I started sharing those things, but I had forgot about the neighbor thing at 4 years old until I started really doing this work in the last few years,” she confessed. “I had blocked out from birth to 10 basically because I had completely disassociated from [the abuse] ever happening.”

Julianne Admits How The Trauma Affected Her

Reflecting on her traumatic experiences, Julianne noted how such abuses of power at such a tender age set a troubling precedent: “Being so young, and those being your first experiences – whether it be physical, mental, sexual – those abuses of power to someone who is vulnerable to it – it immediately sets a precedent of: other people have the power.”

Julianne’s rise to fame wasn’t without its struggles. From her early days as a competitive dancer to her breakthrough role in Footloose, Julianne’s journey has been a mix of triumph and turmoil. Her talent and charm quickly propelled her into the limelight, making her a household name. However, beneath the glittering façade, the scars of her past remained.

Julianne’s new book, Everything We Never Knew, explores these themes in greater depth. During her chat with Jamie Kern Lima, she also touched on the impact her revelations had on her family.

“At the time, when I was younger, I think they also didn’t know what to do. And were also in a position of not feeling capable or also feeling helpless,” she said. “We’ve definitely gone through conversation after conversation like, ‘But we get it now, right? And we’re on the same page? I’m not blaming you now, but I definitely needed more at the time.’”

Amid her tumultuous past, Julianne found solace during her 2020 divorce from Brooks Laich.

“During my divorce is when I really reconnected with my parents and they showed up for me – as my parents,” she said. “And I needed that. I reclaimed my parental relationship with them and I got to be the kid and they got to take care of me. And that was the most healing [thing].”

Julianne’s bravery in sharing her story is not just about reliving the pain but also about reclaiming her narrative. From dancing her way into fame to now facing her past with unflinching honesty, Julianne is proving that she’s not just a star—she’s a survivor.