In the upcoming Freeform docu-series Keep This Between Us, executive producer Cheryl Nichols takes a closer look at the prevalence of grooming across the U.S.
To better understand this issue, she revisits the relationship she had as a teenager with a former high school teacher, whose identity remains anonymous. "For years, I had convinced myself that I was making this choice to be with him," she says in an exclusive preview. "That I was the one that needed to accept the consequences."
However, Cheryl explains that as she has matured, she's come to the realization that she was likely groomed by her former teacher. "There's no doubt in my mind that he was in control of this," she said. "It took a couple of years, but I started really seeing that this thing might not have been OK."
The four-episode docuseries, which is produced by Vox Media Studios, will follow Cheryl as she "returns to her tiny, rural hometown, reconnecting with family and old classmates, asking tough questions and getting hard answers."
Additionally, the series explores how Cheryl has processed these traumatic events. "Through her diaries and personal effects, we hear about her experiences directly from the voice of 16 year old Cheryl," the series description reads, "who helps the adult Cheryl feel more empowered, find validation and healing, and learn how to release herself from decades of blame."
Keep This Between Us will also highlight the stories of "several other women who cope with their shared experiences in very individual ways," giving Cheryl the inspiration to continue her healing journey.
The first two episodes of Keep This Between Us premiere Aug. 29, with the two remaining episodes airing Aug. 30. The episodes will be available to stream the following day on Hulu.