Viola Davis Recounts Her Sister's Harrowing Sexual Assault

Viola Davis wants to make sure that no other children fall victim to sexual assault.

Speaking at a benefit for the Stuart House, an L.A.-based organization that serves children who have been sexually assaulted, Davis recounted her sister’s devastating experience, reports Jezebel.

“I have a sister who, when she was 8 years old, put on some roller skates with her friend, went down to the corner store at 1:00 in the afternoon, went into the store and was sexually assaulted in the store,” Davis said in a heartbreakingly honest speech.

Halle Berry Discusses Domestic Violence in Wake of Divorce Filing

The How to Get Away With Murder star said that her mother reported the man, who had allegedly assaulted other young girls, and that he was ultimately arrested. However, the damage had been done.

“From there, a precocious, very intelligent, very creative child grew up to be frail, angry, a drug addict by the time she was 20,” she said.

Davis wants to make sure that other young children who are survivors of sexual assault know that the harrowing experience doesn’t define their future selves.

“I wish I could tell my sister that she’s not dirty and that she should not feel any shame for something that she literally was not responsible for,” she said. “I wish I could save her life.”