"(LARRY) KING: Let's deal with first things first, and the thing that's getting the most attention is the headline grabber. I guess you knew that when you revealed it, and we will ask you why revealed it, but you were a victim of abuse as a child. You didn't you have to say that. Why?
M. OSMOND: Well, I believe in honesty. I think that that's the one thing I have learned the most from this situation, is to be true to the inner core of who you are. And one of the things that I found out is that I could not speak honestly, Larry, about postpartum depression because what I learned from my research and study and the things that I have found out is that I would say, huge, almost 90-some odd percent of the people who suffer from postpartum depression, have had some form of abuse in their life.*
And I prayed about it. I actually gave Warner Books the first draft of the book. Up until a week before they went to publish it, I said: "I'm changing chapters 2 and 17, and this is what I'm going to put into it." And they went, "whoa!" So, the book was really written, and I decided at the last minute that I could not be honest without putting it in.
KING: You don't describe who did it, and you seem to imply that there were a few, right? There were a few instances with various people, or just one person?
M. OSMOND: You know, the details I would rather keep to the past. I'm over that. It was, you know, dealt with and done with. I think the most important thing is that the statement that, you know, I was definitely abused, and it was definitely sexual. And you know, those types of things to go through, you think you are over them, but it is the long-term effects of those types of things that you don't even see. You(r) thinking gets skewed, and I think that is what happened to me, is that is my boundaries were lost.
KING: Let's ask this fairly, though. If the person or persons are still alive, shouldn't they be reported -- not for you, but as a danger to others?
M. OSMOND: Yes, I knew you would ask me that question, Larry. I believe that this situation have been dea(lt) with, and that I feel very good about how everything is...
KING: So, no one is in danger?
M. OSMOND: Not to my knowledge.
KING: OK, because that would be very important to be walking around -- that would be -- drive you crazy.
M. OSMOND: Yes. And also, it happened, you know, it happened when I was too young to do anything about it. I was too young to understand, you know, but I was old enough to believe the threats.
KING: Why did you not tell anyone, and I mean anyone is that -- I don't think Carl knew, my wife didn't know, your best friends didn't -- I don't know -- did your husband know?
M. OSMOND: No.
KING: Why did you not tell anyone?
M. OSMOND: You know, why are people coming forward to me now? Good friends of mine, that are telling me that those types of things happened in their lives. I never knew. They have never disclosed it either. You have to remember, too, that, you know, I'm of a generation where those types of things weren't discussed very much.
KING: Yes, I know.
M. OSMOND: It was very, very quiet. And you know, those are the types of things that you don't want to do anything to hurt family, friends. You know, why should I disclose that to my parents and cause them pain? They couldn't do anything about it. It wouldn't have changed anything. And so, you live with it and you move on from it.
Nowadays, you know, my children are very aware, it's like you know, this is my body and you can't touch it. That is what they learn in school, and you know, when your 4-year-old says that to you -- oh, no, right now, your body is mine, now get in the bathtub! You know, I mean it is a different kind of a world, although I think that there are many forms of abuse going on right now that we are not even aware of, you know, over the Internet and other things."
*Note: About 10% of all pregnancies in the United States end in post-partum depression.(Source) The Center for Disease Control reports the incidence of (self-reported) post-partum depression is as high as 63% (Source). However, research into this area is still somewhat sketchy.
*** Note: We extend the offer to anyone that is named in any of these articles to come forward and tell their side of the story if they feel there has been a misrepresentation of the facts. Email me: pdrockton@aol.com
