John Stamos Reveals He Was Sexually Abused By A Babysitter When He Was A Child

In John Stamos’ new memoir If You Would Have Told Me, the 60-year-old actor reveals that he was sexually abused by a babysitter when he was a child and opens up about how it took him decades to process the traumatic experience.

The actor and musician spoke to People ahead of the release of his new book on Oct. 24 about his decision to speak out publicly. “I mean, I knew, it was always in the back, and I do so much advocacy for the [survivors],” he told the magazine. “I felt like, I remembered it slightly. It has always been there, but I packed it away as people do, right?”

Stamos went on to explain that he “didn’t tell” anyone at the time of the abuse, including his late parents Loretta and William. “I think I told myself, like, ‘Ah, it’s girls, man. It was like you’re playing dead so they’ll stop. But it wasn’t totally aggressive,” he told People. “I don’t know, it was not good.”

The Grandfathered star, who is dad to 6-year-old son Billy with wife Caitlyn McHugh, explained that he was around 10 or 11 years old at the time of the abuse. “I shouldn’t have had to deal with those feelings,” he told the magazine, adding, “If I found out someone was doing that to my son, that’s a totally different story.”

Writing his memoir eventually led Stamos to feel like it was time to share what had happened to him, even though the actor didn’t start out thinking it would. “I did set out to write a hero story, but then as I was doing it, I was like, ‘No, I’m going to tell a human story,’” he explained to People. “Because with the hero story, that’s bullsh*t.”

Stamos has long been involved with child-focused charities and is the Celebrity Ambassador for ChildHelp, an organization helping victims of child abuse, and advocated for the rights of children over his many decades-long career.

Stamos’ memoir, If You Would Have Told Me, is described as a “universal story about friendship, love, loss, and the courage to embrace love once more.” Stamos also discusses other difficult chapters in his life, including his battle with alcoholism and his divorce from Rebecca Romijn. “Whoever decides to read it, they’re going to know a lot,” he told The New York Times. “I saw a lot of deep, dark stuff. And I thought, ‘If I’m not 100 percent honest, then why am I doing this?’ But I’ve never been 100 percent honest before in my life. It wasn’t the way I was raised. My dad was like, ‘Don’t talk about politics. Don’t talk about religion. Keep it light. Keep it surface-y. Be Dean Martin.’ And here I was for many years not seeing a clear picture because I was drinking and stuff, trying to fulfill someone else’s idea living vicariously through me. I felt it was my duty to be that guy.”

His memoir will also include some life advice from the actor. “Take it easy on yourself, have patience, forgive, be merciful...,” he writes in one part of the book. “Have mercy.”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.