Bachelorette’s Katie Shares She’s a Sexual Assault Survivor

The Bachelorette star Katie Thurston opened up during the latest episode about being a survivor of sexual assault.

On Monday, June 21, during a tense group date that involved the contestants sharing moments from their past that they regret, Katie then proved she was similarly ready to be vulnerable by describing an incident of sexual trauma she experienced 10 years ago. In recalling the assault, she revealed she had yet to even tell her mom about it.

“I know you see me today as this very sex-positive woman who’s very confident, but she hasn’t always been here,” Katie said. “Ten years ago, it was New Year’s Eve, and I had been drinking. I was involved in a situation where there wasn’t consent, and that is not something I wish upon anybody. And I was in denial about what happened, so much so that I tried to form a relationship with him because I didn’t wanna believe what actually had happened.”