Madonna: I Was Raped 35 Years Ago

In an essay, the pop star talks about her struggles in New York before her big break

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Madonna at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards

In an essay in the November issue of Harper’s Bazaar, Madonna recounts being raped at knife-point when she was 20 years old and struggling to make it as a singer in New York City.

“The first year, I was held up at gunpoint,” the artist writes. “Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back, and had my apartment broken into three times.”

The essay focuses on the Madonna’s struggles before she made it big. Now 55, still calls New York City home.

[Harper’s Bazaar]