Fred Lee/ABC via Getty ImagesBachelor star Jade Roper is ready to share her story after Lady Gaga's powerful Oscars performance shedding light to survivors of sexual abuse.
"I've been trying for hours to think of what to say here, typing and back spacing," the newlywed began by writing on Instagram.
"To be honest, I'm terrified. Yet, this is something I felt was put on my heart to write and to share and after all these years allow myself to be free of something I felt had to hide. Lady GaGa's performance was powerful and really moved me…Hopefully sharing my story can help others as much as it is helping me heal. Much love."
In her blog post, Tanner Tolbert's wife penned a detailed account of the incident which took place when she was a teenager.
"I was raped just shy of my 17th birthday. My high school years were very hard for me, I had a lot of problems at home; and the way I tried to be normal and forget about my life was to party with my friends," she wrote.
"It has been a long road to healing for me. There's still a long way to go. I am not chained to this experience, it doesn't have to control my life. I am unafraid of the feedback anymore. This happened to me and it matters. I matter. And I am worthy of love.
"The Lady Gaga performance gave me the courage to speak about my story, a story that's been trapped inside me for over 12 years. I hope that sharing my experience will help girls and women know that they are not alone. And that you have to voice things in order for things to change. And always always always: You matter."