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Gabrielle Union: “I Was Raped At 19 Years Old”

By Deborah Bennett, Senior Editor November 4, 2009 10:08 am

gabrielleunionfeb09

In 1992, at age 19, Gabrielle Union was attacked, beaten and raped at her part-time job in a shoestore. Her attacker later turned himself in and was sentenced to 33 years in prison. The actress recently took to her blog to speak on the gang rape story that took place in Richmond:

So as I’m on the way to shoot Chelsea Lately…I’m sad more than anything. After googling the gang rape story in Richmond and reading comments on blogs, it just leaves me sickened and really sad. The fact that race and socio-economics have been used to explain away a brutal gang rape…just sad…maybe I just have seen every kind of rapist and survivor….every race, color, religion, socio-economic status group…it’s all the same…a lack of regard for violence against women. Tolerated, and in this case encouraged by the mob surrounding the perps…laughing, joking and taking pics.

When I was 19 years old, I was raped. I was working at a shoe store in California, and the store was robbed. The person robbing the store ended up putting a gun to my head and raping me. As he was raping me, I felt as though I was floating over myself, thinking, ‘This isn’t happening.’ I blanked out and had an out-of-body experience, like I was hovering above seeing this ­horrible thing happen to someone else…not me. I was fortunate enough to go the UCLA rape crisis center after this horrific ordeal. It gave me my life back. My dignity and self-esteem were gone and they helped me find them again. That’s why I now lobby for state legislatures across the country and the federal government to help raise funds and awareness for rape crisis centers, and I speak to all different kinds of people across the country about what happened to me. My goal is to never hear the words ‘me too’ from someone after I say ‘I was raped.’

Gabrielle Union: “Oral Sex Is Recession Proof”

Take a look at our Gabrielle Union gallery:

Gabrielle Union & Dwyane have another date night

TAGS: gabrielle union, rape, Shoe Store
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1 2 3 Next »
  • bettaholla
    bettaholla
    11-5-2009 10:53 pm

    further how someone going to speak on her marriage like you were a fly on the wall or friends with the former couple..stop believing everything they post..this is a gossip column! smarty!oh my bad guess many are gossips too,so they would not see my point..lmao

  • bettaholla
    bettaholla
    11-5-2009 10:50 pm

    anyone saying this is a cry wolf or whatever negative is the same person i would never allow my kids,so afraid of some of you! good girl gabrielle keep up what u are doing and i commend your efforts..another not only men rape ladies do not forget there are plenty of women that are pervs to maybe some of you better questions some of ya weird ass friends..never sleep on a predator them come in all colors n both sexes! just a lot of men when they come of age are embarrassed to tell there fake auntie or real,,whom ever has done horrible things to them which also lead lots of men to promiscuity..peace and love to all!

  • Da_J_Rok
    Da_J_Rok
    11-5-2009 5:55 pm

    I didn’t say “SHE” was a stripper… She is a “Jane/Trick”…even to the point to where it ruined her own marriage…. not to mention, a nice promoter

    Don’t let this be a misconception that I would wish harm on anyone, because that aint what I was addressing… im talkin about her own defects and why this could be just another “Girl Cryin Wolf” for attention

  • msveevee1
    msveevee1
    11-5-2009 5:31 pm

    (Adding…)And I can’t wait til that day comes!

  • msveevee1
    msveevee1
    11-5-2009 5:29 pm

    It’s like, who hasn’t been raped or molested in this day and age? Isn’t that an old, but heavily sought after phenomenon? I guess when you live amongst sexually driven and perverted human beings, why would it NOT be everyone’s story? It’s disgusting. It takes ppl’s innocent and free will away. I hate men so much for this! Taking it upon themselves to place their disease infested dingalings and throw themselves on someone without consent. Men are truly the evil ones passing that same demonic spirit on weak-minded and weak-spirited women who will just throw they nasty stanking stuff at them. You would think that it would make the rapists and molestors happy, but nooooooo! They seek out the helpless and defenseless to taint and corrupt them. And the chain reaction goes on and on and on. Pretty soon God’s justice will prevail!

  • trisha_369
    trisha_369
    11-5-2009 5:10 pm

    Im so sad-to read that this happen to her and IM glad the ANIMAL that done that to her is in the CAGE-he belong in…and SHE has over COME this matter and FIGHTING BACK to HELP other WOMEN who is going threw the same thing. GOD BLESS YOU-Gabrielle Union!

  • BLACKWALT55
    BLACKWALT55
    11-5-2009 1:27 pm

    I AM SO SO SORRY 2 HEAR THAT GAB-I HAVE THEE UTMOST RESPECT 4 U 2 BE ABLE 2 COME OUT & TALK ABOUT IT-IM SURE IT WILL & DOES ENCOURAGE OTHER RAPE VICTIMS 2 COME FORWARD & BE A EXAMPLE – & LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU CAN STILL TRIUMPH OVER TRAGEDY!!!
    GOD BLESS

  • mrbluesays
    mrbluesays
    11-5-2009 10:28 am

    Is she related to that girl in those porn movies ? They look just alike.

  • tyrell170
    tyrell170
    11-5-2009 9:24 am

    I have been amazed by Ms. Union sense the first time a saw her, your my vision of a intelligent and lovly lady, Your one of favorite actress and i love that movie deliver us from Eva. My heart is weaken to hear you were harmed, I wish i could have been there for you and all rape victims. I smile everytime i see Ms. Union on Television. I don’t heve the words for rape, there is no logical way to view rape its some kind of devil sickness that i don’t have the words for. i don’t understaand so much about people do a lot of things i you in the news. Ms. Union My heart goes out to you in a very special way, also to the other ladies that have been harmed by crazy rapers.

  • cestleon
    cestleon
    11-5-2009 9:12 am

    I’ve heard this story before. It sucks that she had to endure that. No woman deserves that. Even if she may be a notoriously promiscuous home wrecking freak, she still didn’t need to go though that. I wonder how Dwayne Wade took that info when she told him?

  • classyb5
    classyb5
    11-5-2009 8:59 am

    Does it matter if she is a stripper, does that mean it is okay to rap someone. No I do not agree with women using their bodies that way, but to make a statement ” she strips for a club” What are you saying? Wow when are nasty ass men going to get it. It does not make you rap a women because you see them half nude. NO means no. I am soooooooooooooooooo sad to hear this.

  • panamaniak
    panamaniak
    11-5-2009 8:57 am

    I can understand what she meant by comments on blogs. That’s why when something like this happens I RARELY read message boards or posts. Just like the Kanye/Taylor thing. Yeah he was wrong but what some “people” were saying went WAAAAAAAAAAY beyond calling him out for having bad manners. It’s a shame that human being are so stuck on what “race” (which doesn’t really exist biologically wise,we are ONE whether people want to believe it or not). What happened to this young lady I wouldn’t care if she was the daughter of the Grand Wizard,I would not wish that on anyone and I certainly wouldn’t post gleeful comments celebrating that someone was GANG RAPED. But then again,I’m a CIVILISED man and care about my fellow human beings as PEOPLE.

  • cgordon3
    cgordon3
    11-5-2009 7:33 am

    Anyone who thinks this comment was judgemental doesnot know the meaning of the word.. I give props to her Gabielle Union again…..Rapists are Cowards so are thugs and gansta and anyonelse that does a drive by ,blows up a plane …wears a badge shoots shoots some one ,lynches some in the south .sells drugs etcs..they all all the same whether they admit it or not the why would they are cowardz.. Anyone who thinks that’s wrong or being judgemental ???
    And if anyone thouhgt I was Judging Gabrielle…please read it again… I used to think of her as a 10 bur now 10+++++++plus .. rape is no joke….

  • mcbarryb
    mcbarryb
    11-5-2009 6:58 am

    Sorry to hear that Gabrielle baby.

  • cgordon3
    cgordon3
    11-5-2009 6:30 am

    I always admired Ms. Union..as an actress and beatiful black woman; now, I admire her even more for telling us about this horrible ct of voilence, and cowardice angainst her.
    Yes! rapist are cowards…they use the power of a weapon to take advantage of someone they have made vulnerable with that weapon be it a gun,knife, drugs or their fist or just brut force, its an always be the act of a COWARD..someone with no backbone.no morales.a twisted sense of what it control/puwer but ALWAYS a Coward.this isnt just a sex crime is more than,that! It is an digusting attempt to dehumanize the victim in away that, the perpatrater sees him or herslf as non-responsible for their henious behavior…and self rationalization..Cowardice to the max..
    We need to put these people away for good or even capital punishment ,It is not revenge to do this esp. in the case when they do this to a child, and the child is found dead in some ditch some where..you can’t rape again if your dead! and most of the time these rapist are repeat offenders..
    Rapist are not the only cowards, Gang banger, gangstas,ganta musics producers, terrorists religiuos and otherwise, KKK, white supremist, cops that use their authority to commit murder etc, these people all are cowards in one form or another black or white..some of the worst are those comit.acts of violence in the name of their god…whether its so called Christains or Muslisms or whomever..
    Sorry to go on like this .. but until someone calls all these folks out for what they really are! ! COWARDS!…we as a society will never be rid of them! We live in an age of cowardice now!
    We need our own courage first and not wait for the other perons to stand up!
    So one day so moms without their babies won’t have to cry,and the Gabrielle Unions’ of the world won’t have to tell the horrible stories ..

    Gabrielle you are as Courageous and Strong as you are Beautiful
    .
    I am proactive in my community and I will do more in my communitiy to keep the cowards t bay …Gods love nd grace to all of you

  • Jay_dre55
    Jay_dre55
    11-5-2009 4:29 am

    Its so hard to come out when something has happened to you. If she is lying she will burn for it. But if more people had the courage to come out about what happened to them it would be better for our kids to tell us if someone raped or molested them. Stop judging.

  • reserved2009
    reserved2009
    11-4-2009 6:23 pm

    Sorry you had to through such a violation. I feel your pain. It’s something you can never get back. It would take a sick person to fabricate a story like yours. Thank God for family and friends to help you get through something as awful as what took place.

  • Da_J_Rok
    Da_J_Rok
    11-4-2009 4:15 pm

    Ask anybody how she get down at any male strip club on Slauson in LA… google it

    Maybe she was raped …I don’t know? All I said is who is the dude, and lets here his story.

    Al_Quack… nigga please u probably the police anyway… and I stay in Warren Arkansas population 7000 all u gotta do is ask who J-Rok is they will point u to me… And the invitation is standing… kocksucka

  • joann26
    joann26
    11-4-2009 1:46 pm

    I believe her I remember when she went on the Oprah show and she admitted to being raped when she used to work at a shoe store. That’s so sad that a*****e need his dick cut off.

  • joann26
    joann26
    11-4-2009 1:46 pm

    I believe her I remember when she went on the Oprah show and she admitted to being raped when she used to work at a store. That’s so sad that a*****e need his dick cut off.

  • AL-HAQ
    AL-HAQ
    11-4-2009 1:42 pm

    j rok ur an ignorant ass n****r yea i sed n****r cuz u ignorant az fuk y wud a woman lie bout sum s**t like dat? especially her, shes rich she gains nuthn but humiliation by “lyin” don let me c u in real life cuz ima b da nypd an u’ll b abner louima! dumb ass negro (n****r) always got sum ill s**t 2 say bout a “sista”

  • DMY19151
    DMY19151
    11-4-2009 12:06 pm

    YO….LOL..THE BOA Da_4J_ROK IS OFF THE HOOK PEOPLES…..

  • mamangel67218
    mamangel67218
    11-4-2009 11:58 am

    How is she lying? The guy turned himself in.

  • Da_J_Rok
    Da_J_Rok
    11-4-2009 11:38 am

    So who was the guy that did it??? This broad is fraud im tellin u

  • MissBBL2Sexy
    MissBBL2Sexy
    11-4-2009 11:05 am

    Oh my,sorry to hear about that!

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