Valerie Bertinelli’s new memoir, Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect, reveals the actress was sexually abused at age 11—a trauma she says fueled decades of struggle with self-worth and body image. In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Bertinelli breaks her silence, calls for survivors to speak out, and declares her freedom from shame. This is her most personal disclosure yet, and it echoes a growing movement in Hollywood for candid conversations about trauma and healing.
At 65, Valerie Bertinelli is finally sharing her deepest secret. The Emmy-winning actress and former “Child Star to Celebrity Hall of Famer,” who fans have known since her role as Barbara Cooper Royer on the 1970s hit sitcom One Day at a Time, told People in an exclusive March 4 interview that she was sexually abused at the age of 11—an experience she carried in silence for over 50 years and “had no plans to reveal” publicly.
Originally, Bertinelli’s forthcoming memoir, Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect, was set to be a guide to self-love. But in writing it, she realized that to truly teach others, she had to face her own unresolved trauma. “I did not know that I would go this far,” she admitted. “It was going to be a book about teaching people how to love themselves.”
Bertinelli did not name her abuser during the interview, but she shared how confronting the memory forced her to relive complex emotions. “It boggles my mind that this little girl was taken advantage of that way,” she said, her voice blending sorrow with fury. “It boggles my mind because it’s still happening … and I’m furious about it. And we need to start speaking up and saying, ‘Enough.’”
Her journey to healing wasn’t straightforward. Bertinelli said she first broached the trauma in therapy, but as she dug deeper, “it got worse before it got better.” She turned to food and alcohol for comfort—habits she’s spoken openly about before, especially in the context of her long public battle with body image. “I maybe ate a little bit more, drank a little bit more,” she confessed. “When you stop eating for comfort, stop drinking alcohol, it exposes your feelings. You can deal with them or not—and I chose to deal with them.”
How Childhood Trauma Fueled a Lifetime of “Body Shame”
Bertinelli explained that the trauma “had nothing to do with my body. It was just something to take out my shame on.” She described how self-loathing, body-shaming, and the intense pressure she placed on herself for decades really boiled down to unresolved pain from her childhood. “My poor body. I was so mean to it,” she said. “I just needed to get all those voices out of my head.”
Reflecting on the damage, Bertinelli added, “As I was going through that, I’m thinking people are going to wonder, why do I have so much self-loathing? That’s not normal. It’s because trauma happened in my childhood, for the most part. I can’t speak for anybody else, but it’s pretty textbook.” Her candor shines a light on how early trauma can manifest in ways that are often misunderstood—particularly in women who rise to fame under the harsh scrutiny of the public eye.
The actress, who recently lost a diet-company endorsement deal due to weight gain, is no stranger to the relentless judgment faced by women in Hollywood. This new level of transparency, however, marks a turning point—the moment she reclaims her story from the weight of societal expectations.
From Victim to Survivor: A Call to Action
In calling herself a “survivor,” Bertinelli signaled more than just personal victory. She said publicly saying the words “I was sexually assaulted”—without tiptoeing around them—feels like liberation. “I don’t feel shame about it anymore,” she asserted. “I’m pissed off that it happened. Nobody deserves that.”
This declaration lands powerfully in a cultural moment where survivors, from Hollywood stars to everyday individuals, are demanding accountability. It follows similar revelations from figures like Joan Lunden, who recently accused a former boss of sexual harassment. Bertinelli’s statement becomes part of a larger chorus saying, “Enough is enough.”
Her message is clear: silence benefits only abusers. By breaking hers, she joins a wave of women urging others to do the same.
The Memoir as a Turning Point
Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect arrives on March 10—just weeks after Bertinelli’s divorce from her second husband, Tom Vitale, finalized. She fiercely defended her decision to end the marriage, calling the divorce “the second best day of my life” after her wedding to husband Ed O’Connell—another public declaration of self-worth.
This book, however, isn’t about divorce or romance. It’s about digging beneath the surface of perfection—her trademark on-screen charm, her flawless TV persona, her public struggle with diet culture—and asking, What really makes a woman perfect? Her answer: not silence, not shame, not bending to others’ expectations. But raw, honest healing.
For a generation of fans who grew up with One Day at a Time, this memoir redefines Valerie Bertinelli—not just as the spunky 15-year-old who stole scenes from Norman Lear, but as the woman who survived, spoke up, and still found the light.
It’s a narrative that matters—not just for entertainment, but for every survivor still searching for their voice.
If you or someone you know needs support, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential help at 800-656-HOPE (4673) and RAINN.org/es en Español.
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