Madonna Opens Up About Being Raped at 19, Says She Didn't Report It Because She Was "Humiliated"

"I trusted everybody."

Madonna
(Image credit: Getty)

Madonna first bravely admitted that she was raped to Harper's Bazaar in 2013, but while appearing on Howard Stern, the Material Girl gave even more details that left us heartbroken.

Explaining that she had just moved to New York City from Michigan at 19 years old, the singer admitted that she was overwhelmed by everything.

"I was in shock, I didn't know a soul," she told Stern. "I was saying, 'Hi' to people on the street like a dork."

Her apartment kept getting burglarized, but the singer still had high hopes for her life and kept going to dance classes—which is where she encountered her rapist.

"I was going to a dance class and the door was locked and I needed money for the payphone," she explained. "[This guy] gave it to me, he was a very friendly guy. I trusted everybody." He then persuaded her to make the call from his home instead.

"I was raped."

Stern asked Madonna if she had reported the crime at the time. Madonna said no. "You've already been violated," she said. "It's just not worth it. It's too much humiliation."

Before you shake your head, you should know—Madonna's not alone. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, an estimated 68% of rapes go unreported, and 98% of rapists will not spend one day in jail. One in six women in the U.S. will be raped in her lifetime.

We can only hope that Madonna's case—and others who bring the subject to light—will only help increase awareness, end the stigma, and allow those who have experienced abuse to feel safe enough to report it.

Fingers crossed.

You should also check out:

Lena Dunham: I Was Sexually Assaulted in College

Redemption for Rape Victims in the Military (and Everywhere)

Another Day, Another Column Blaming Victims for Sexual Assault

Samantha Leal
Senior Editor

Samantha Leal is the Deputy Editor at Well+Good, where she spends most of her day thinking of new ideas across platforms, bringing on new writers, overseeing the day-to-day of the website, and working with the awesome team to produce the best stories and packages. Before W+G, she was the Senior Web Editor for Marie Claire and the Deputy Editor for Latina.com, with bylines all over the internet. Graduating from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University with a minor in African history, she’s written everything from travel guides to political op-eds to wine explainers (currently enrolled in the WSET program) to celebrity profiles. Find her online pretty much everywhere @samanthajoleal.

Latest in Celebrity
Meghan Markle in a beige shirt on stage at SXSW in March 2024
Meghan Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow Open Up About Their "Rift" Over Pie
Princess Madeleine of Sweden wearing a tiara featuring emeralds
Why Princess Madeleine of Sweden Can't Use Her Royal Title to Promote Her New Skincare Line
Queen Camilla has blonde hair and is wearing a dark green shirt dress
Why Queen Camilla Has Been Issued a "Strict" Warning Regarding Her Meeting With the Pope
Benny Blanco in a purple shirt with a white tank top underneath and Selena Gomez in a black dress backstage at The Tonight Show in March 2025
Selena Gomez Says She’s "Excited" to Become a Mom Someday in Joint Interview with Benny Blanco
Meghan Markle wears blue denim jeans
Meghan Markle Confirms Skinny Jeans Are Back by Finally Revealing Her Favorite Frame Denim
Carole Middleton has blonde hair and laughs while shopping with daughter Kate Middleton
How Carole Middleton Might Step Up to Support Princess Kate Following Previous Controversies
Latest in News
Meghan Markle in a beige shirt on stage at SXSW in March 2024
Meghan Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow Open Up About Their "Rift" Over Pie
Rihanna and A$AP were seen on a casual date night out at Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. rihanna wore jeans, a vest, and a new alaia bag
Rihanna Hard-Launches Alaïa's New $2,350 It-Bag With a Baseball Cap and Jeans
Bella Hadid carries the Coach empire bag in New York City with a black mini dress
Bella Hadid Secures Coach's Must-Have Empire Bag, Just Like I Predicted She Would
Selena Gomez wears a cropped blazer and matching trousers while attending the Drew Barrymore show in New York City
Selena Gomez Is the Cropped Blazer Trend's Final Boss
Princess Madeleine of Sweden wearing a tiara featuring emeralds
Why Princess Madeleine of Sweden Can't Use Her Royal Title to Promote Her New Skincare Line
Rihanna in a head scarf and multiple necklaces
Rihanna’s Jamaica Manicure Will Unite the Caribbean