Former "Dancing with the Stars" professional dancer Cheryl Burke recently shared a deeply personal and traumatic experience from her childhood during an appearance on the Oldish podcast. Burke, now 40, recounted the harrowing experience of testifying in court at just nine years old against a caretaker who had sexually abused her and her step-sister.
During the emotional interview, Burke revealed that she was forced to face her abuser alone in the courtroom, as authorities wouldn't allow her mother to accompany her during the testimony. "They wouldn't even let my mom come with me, which was so crazy. I was 9," Burke shared.
The isolation in the courtroom led to self-doubt, with Burke admitting, "I almost was already gaslighting myself... I was thinking to myself, 'Am I making this up?'" The experience was particularly challenging as she had to confront her abuser directly while giving testimony.
The abuse came to light when her step-sister's best friend reported the incident to her mother. While the perpetrator was initially facing a life sentence, Burke noted that he was eventually released from prison.
Burke's healing journey began when she discovered she wasn't the only victim. "A whole bunch of kids came out, and that was when I stopped the gaslighting and all of it," she explained. However, she emphasized that her path to recovery has been complex and ongoing, requiring extensive personal work.
The dancer was clear about her stance on forgiveness, stating, "I don't want people to take this the wrong way, like I'm forgiving him for molesting." She also expressed concern about how society treats abuse victims, noting that it often takes "decades, if not lifetimes" for survivors to process their trauma and speak their truth.
Burke's candid sharing of her experience adds to the broader conversation about childhood sexual abuse and the challenges survivors face in the justice system, particularly when testifying at such a young age.