Valerie Bertinelli gets candid on 'shame' from childhood sexual abuse

Valerie Bertinelli, who chronicles her life in an upcoming memoir, is sharing that she was sexually abused as a child.

Valerie Bertinelli, who shot to fame as a child star, is opening up about an early childhood trauma for the first time.

In her upcoming memoir, the Golden Globe-winning actress and culinary host writes that she was sexually abused at age 11, an experience she "had no plans to reveal," she tells People magazine in an interview published Wednesday, March 4.

"This was going to be a book about teaching people how to love themselves," Bertinelli, 65, told the outlet. "I did not know that I would go this far."

The "One Day at a Time" alum, who did not name her alleged abuser in the interview, said writing about the experience forced her to confront her emotions.

"It boggles my mind that this little girl was taken advantage of that way," Bertinelli said. "It boggles my mind because it's still happening … and I'm furious about it. And we need to start speaking up and saying, 'Enough.'"