Oprah Winfrey: I've been molested since I was nine

MUMBAI — Renowned television personality Oprah Winfrey has spoken about being sexually abused from the age of nine and went on to share the lasting impact of the trauma.

A video shared on Instagram showed Winfrey speaking to Jay Shetty on his podcast. In the clip, she was heard saying that she was able to turn her painful experiences into a breakthrough and how she eventually learned that she was not defined by what had happened to her.

The video begins with Oprah saying: “I've been molested since I was nine. I'd read all the books and I'd done all the research and interviewed many people saying it's not your fault. There was a part of me that felt that my nine-year-old self was still responsible.”

The podcast host then asks: “What have you learned about the difference between someone who that becomes the breakdown of their life and for you how it became the breakthrough of your life?”

To which the media mogul said: “I was able to see that you are not the worst thing that has happened to you. I was often the only black person in the room and certainly the only woman in the room.”

“But it didn't even occur to me that that was a problem because I thought, well, if I got the opportunity to be here, it means I'm supposed to be here.”

Winfrey is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. Globally, she is the richest Black woman and the wealthiest female celebrity. Dubbed the "Queen of All Media”, she was the richest African-American of the 20th century.

In 1994, Winfrey was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. She has been feted with many honours, including 19 Daytime Emmy Awards, 3 Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony Award.