After years of denial, Gerald Imes, the older brother of Academy Award winner Mo’Nique, admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he molested his sister.
Imes confirmed that he began sexually abusing Mo’Nique when she was 7-years-old, and continued until she was 11.
“I’m here today to first acknowledge what I’ve been in denial for for 37 years, and that is I did assault and inappropriately touch my sister in manners that were uncomfortable for her,” he said. “And for that, I apologize and I’m humbly sorry that those actions had taken place.”
Gerald said he chose to come forward in hopes of rebuilding a relationship with his sister.
Although the actress did not want to participate in the interview, she gave her blessing for it to take place. Her parents appeared on the show, and defended their actions after their daughter revealed the abuse at age 15, following a violent incident that neither she nor her brother have revealed.
Alice and Steven Imes thought their daughter was lying. They sent Gerald to live with his grandmother, but he moved back in with the family two weeks later and the allegations were never mentioned again.
Mo’Nique has not spoken to her parents for two and a half years.
In a previous interview with Oprah, Mo’Nique said she drew inspiration for her Oscar-winning performance as Mary Jones, a mother who sexually abuses and beats her daughter in the movie “Precious” from her own childhood molestation.
“I knew very well who that monster was. I knew Mary Jones,” she said. “When he would say ‘action,’ that’s the monster that I became.”
Mo’Nique embraced the role because she felt the movie could help end the cycle of abuse. “It’s so important because it’s so honest,” she told Oprah. ” happening every day. And we keep wanting to sweep it under the carpet and act like it doesn’t exist.”
In a previous interview with Essence magazine, the Oscar-winning actress said of her purpose in the revelation and performance, “It’s my obligation to let people know, and to tell them to watch their children.”
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