Amy Schumer Opened Up to Oprah About Being the Victim of a "Gray-Area Rape"
Amy Schumer opened up about being the victim of sexual assault during an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
![Amy Schumer Met Gala](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XwDKDQra8MzmsEQnuQDV5S-415-80.jpg)
During a powerful conversation with Oprah Winfrey on SuperSoul Conversations, Amy Schumer opened up about her experiences with sexual assault. The incident, which Schumer explained she referred to as "gray-area rape" in her standup routine, was what most people would call intimate partner rape. The alleged perpetrator was Schumer's boyfriend at the time.
"I lost my virginity while I was asleep," she revealed in the interview, according to People. "So, in my stand-up, I used to talk about—I called it, 'gray-area rape,' which was my way of bringing this up in my stand-up…trying to make people laugh while they learned. When we hear about rape when we’re children, it’s about a guy popping out from a bush and this villain. They don’t say it’s probably going to be a guy who you know very well. It could be your husband, your friend. You think when that happens to you, you say, ‘Okay, well this isn’t someone I want to see rotting in a jail cell but what he did to me was wrong and I didn’t consent.'"
Schumer then recounted the conflicting feelings she had following the incident and feeling the need to comfort her then-boyfriend afterwards.
"I didn’t say anything [about consenting]. He was my boyfriend, I loved him, I had to comfort him,” Schumer said. "I also felt really angry which…it was just a feeling I had, I felt really angry with him. It’s a rage that’s stayed with me. I don’t think you lose that. As women, we’re trained not to get angry because that makes people dismiss you right away. But I felt—I wanted to comfort him and try to push my anger down."
While Schumer added that her then-boyfriend insisted after that he thought she knew they were going to have sex, she also described startling incidents of physical and emotional abuse that many women can relate to.
“I got hurt by accident a lot. He didn’t realize how hard he’d grabbed me or shook me or pushed me, and I would fall and hit something then I’d be hurt. I can picture being thrown on the hood of a car like it was an hour ago," she said. "And running from him, carrying my shoes and running from him, running into backyards trying to get away from him because I was afraid for my life. It’s so out of body. You think, ‘I’m not this woman, who is this woman? This can’t be me.’ I’m not that kind of woman, and then you realize there is no kind of woman. It happens to all woman."
Watch the entire powerful segment below:
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Ice Spice Hits Back at Claims Taylor Swift Became Friends With Her for "Clout"
She's insulted by people's assumptions.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Bette Midler Swears the Secret to Her 40-Year Marriage Is "Separate Bedrooms"
She's been married to Martin von Haselberg since 1984.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Taylor Swift Trolls "Godkids' Sperm Donor" Ryan Reynolds Amid 'Deadpool' Release
Proof that they're besties.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger Published
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton Published
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner Published
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
By The Editors Published
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
By Andrea Park Published
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J. Igoe Published
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
By The Editors Published
-
Surprise! Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas Are Parents
They welcomed a baby via surrogate.
By Neha Prakash Published