Billie Eilish Opens Up About Being Abused As A Minor
By Paris Close
May 3, 2021
Billie Eilish opened up about her personal experience with abuse.
On Sunday (May 2), the Grammy-winning recording artist graced the cover of British Vogue, breaking the internet in more ways than one with her blonde bombshell transformation. But beyond her 1940s pin-up look, the singer bares herself like never before in her profile story for the mag, in which she reveals she was abused as a child and how it’s altered her perception of “why age mattered.”
Without saying too much, Eilish made the disclaimer that her abuser “wasn’t a music industry figure.”
"I used to not understand why age mattered. And, of course, you feel like that when you're young, because you're the oldest you've ever been. You feel like you're so mature and you know everything,” she told the publication. "People forget that you can grow up and realize s—t was f—ked up when you were younger."
Calling back to her 2019 song “When I Was Older,” Eilish explained, “I wanted to say that it doesn't matter who you are, what your life is, your situation, who you surround yourself with, how strong you are, how smart you are.”
"You can always be taken advantage of. That’s a big problem in the world of domestic abuse or statutory rape — girls that were very confident and strong-willed finding themselves in situations where they’re like, ‘Oh my god, I’m the victim here?’” she added. “And it’s so embarrassing and humiliating and demoralizing to be in that position of thinking you know so much and then you realize, I’m being abused right now.”
Although Eilish has chosen not to share any more about her abuse than this, her new single “Your Power,” a haunting cautionary tale of an older man taking advantage of a young girl, captures the sly nature of abusers and the wounds they leave behind.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search your local center here.