Renowned actor John Stamos has revealed in his upcoming memoir, “If You Would Have Told Me,” that he experienced sexual abuse as an adolescent, an ordeal that left him struggling with feelings he believed he shouldn’t have had to face. This disclosure is a significant part of the book, where he opens up about the childhood trauma he endured.
Stamos, best known for his roles in “Full House” and “Fuller House,” spoke with People magazine about his decision to include this harrowing experience in his memoir. He had previously contemplated sharing it during an award acceptance speech for his advocacy work on behalf of abused children but chose not to at the time, fearing it would come across as insincere.
The abuse that Stamos alleges occurred when he was around 10 or 11 years old and was perpetrated by his babysitter. He admitted that he had always known this incident was at the back of his mind, especially as he is actively involved in advocating for survivors. But he had chosen to repress it, as many people do with painful memories.
For Stamos, writing the book became a journey of realization. It helped him understand that the alleged incident, which he had never disclosed to anyone, was inappropriate. He remarked that he told himself, “Ah, it’s girls, man,” and that he would pretend to be unresponsive, hoping it would make the abuse stop.
While his book primarily aims to share a human story rather than a hero narrative, Stamos acknowledged that this level of vulnerability was challenging. He stated that he didn’t want the headlines or the book to revolve solely around this aspect, but he felt compelled to talk about it. As a survivor and a father to a 5-year-old son, Stamos emphasized that his reaction would be entirely different if he discovered that someone had harmed his son.
