Neighbors star Madeleine West says she was sexually abused as a child

Former Neighbors Star Madeleine West said she was sexually abused as a child.

The actress, now 42, said she was abused over a five-year period, starting when she was five.

“I knew from the start it wasn’t right,” she told the Australian news organization News Corp. “They tell you it’s your fault. That you somehow enjoy it, that you made it.

“A child can never consent.”

West continued to play Dee Bliss Neighbors between 2000 and 2003. She later returned to the soap opera in another role, playing Andrea Somers from 2017 to 2020.

She continued that the abuse was a factor that motivated her to pursue acting.

“One of the reasons I started acting was to wear someone else’s skin and hide what was actually happening in my life,” she said.

“They carry a lot of scar tissue.”

West hosts an eight-part podcast series titled Predator, alongside former detective Gary Jubelin. The series addresses the problem of pedophilia and West called for Australia to pass several legislative changes, including the introduction of a national public child sex registry.

“This monster ruined my life,” West said. “(But) I feel like I’ve come full circle. I can stand up and say, “This happened to me and I’m moving past it,” and there are people out there who need to be held accountable for what they did.

“Justice can be achieved. It was never your fault and never will be, you are not to blame.”

Additional reporting by PA

If you are a child and need help because something has happened to you, you can call the NSPCC free on 0800 1111. If you are an adult and are concerned about a child, you can also call the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331.