One of the world’s richest women reached her status despite a troubled upbringing that included physical abuse from her grandmother, who started out raising her. When she was 6, Winfrey was raped by a man who “took me to an ice cream shop — blood still running down my leg — and bought me ice cream,” the media proprietor said during a 2012 appearance at Ball State, according to irishexaminer.com. She added she was sexually abused from 10 to 14, and was pregnant, delivered a baby but lost it after two weeks. She has been outspoken about sexual abuse.
On Winfrey’s show in 2009, director and actor Tyler Perry gave graphic insight into the abuse he said he endured as a child growing up in New Orleans — physical abuse from his father and sexual abuse from a man at church. He said it was a “living hell,” and just looking at a photo of him as a kid could bring tears to his eyes. He also said he considered committing suicide because he was so traumatized.