Jessica Simpson recently revealed that she was sexually abused during her childhood and struggled with drugs and alcohol because of it. Jessica has opened up in her new memoir, detailing her abuse.

Simpson first started her career as a Christian singer but soon found that her curvy figure made it hard for record companies to want to sign her as she did not look wholesome enough. In the summer of 2003, MTV aired Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, which starred Nick Lachey and his then-wife Simpson. The two originally met when Lachey worked on one of Jessica’s music videos in 1999. The couple married in 2002, but in 2005 announced that they were divorcing. The reality show was one of the first of its kind to follow stars around their everyday life, giving us gems like Jessica’s infamous line, “Is this chicken or tuna?”

On February 4th, Simpson will be releasing her first memoir entitled Open Book which gives fans an inside look into her life.  The singer was originally approached to write a self-help book as reported by People, but did not feel comfortable talking about herself in a way that was not an honest representation of who she was. Instead, the 39-year-old wrote a more personal book and for the first time, she shared that she was sexually abused as a child when she was only six years old. In an excerpt from her book, the singer writes that she shared a bed with the daughter of a family friend saying, “It would start with tickling my back and then go into things that were extremely uncomfortable.” It was almost six years later when she told her two parents, Tina and Joe Simpson about the attack because Simpson felt she was in the wrong even though she was the victim.

The singer detailed that her parents had no real reaction to what she had told them and while they did not stay at the friend’s house again, they also did not speak of what Simpson had shared. The mother of three said instead she turned to drinking and taking pills as a way of self-medicating due to the experience. The fashion designer shared with readers that it took years to realize she needed help and it was after a Halloween party that she finally asked her friends to help her out from rock bottom. The stars own doctor was worried about her life and in 2017 Simpson got sober, not having a drink since saying she was “mad at that bottle. At how it allowed me to stay complacent and numb.”

Along with the book launch, Simpson also will be releasing six new songs to complement her memories. The singer hopes that the book and new tunes will help others who may be in the same situation she found herself to not feel so alone. Fans are proud of the singer that they have loved for so many years and wish her nothing but the best in the future.

Next: Nick Lachey Writes Off Reality TV After Starring in Newlyweds with Ex-Wife Jessica Simpson

Source: People