Jessica Simpson reveals she discussed childhood sexual abuse with her children

Jessica Simpson says she is “ very open ” about the sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl with her children.

Appearing on Good Morning America on Thursday, Simpson, 40, said she decided to speak to her daughter Maxwell about the abuse after being approached by a fan at a book signing event, who said she ‘she had been inspired to seek therapy after reading her experience in her memoir, Open Book.

Maxwell was with her at the time and the singer decided to stop the event in order to tell her what had happened.

‘This is something we’re very open to’: Jessica Simpson discussed the sexual abuse she suffered from a family friend with her children

“ A woman came up to me and she was crying and had her daughter with her and she was like, ‘What you went through as a child, you know, it really encouraged me to talk to my therapist and to be open with my family. about that, “she said. ‘And Maxwell said to me,” Mum, what is she talking about? “‘

‘And so I held the autograph line, and I thought, “I guess this is the time when I’m going to talk to my daughter here in Times Square.”

“ But it was a perfect moment because she saw how open and honest being with your feelings and how you can inspire people in that way … how moving honesty really is and how it is. can change people’s lives and she’s seen it. mom did that, she said. “ She went home and started writing … since then she has been writing in her journal. ”

Simspon also said his children read some of his memoirs.

Proposed: Simpson, 40, decided to speak to daughter Maxwell about the abuse after being approached by a fan at a book signing event, who said she was inspired to seek therapy after have read his experience in his memoirs, Open Book

‘I’m going to tell my daughter here in Times Square’: Simpson recalled what was on her mind when she decided to share her abuse story with Maxwell

“They read part of it,” she says. “There is nothing that is forbidden. We are very open as a family. For me, when I talk about sexual abuse and the like, it happened to me when I was younger than them and at their age. So, this is something that we are very open to.

Simpson revealed in his Open Book memoir that a family friend’s daughter sexually assaulted her when she was six.

The singer kept it a secret for years and didn’t tell her parents about it until six years after the debut.

Family matters: Simpson shares daughters Maxwell, eight, Birdie, two, and son Ace Knute, seven, with husband Eric Johnson

After recounting her story in her memoirs, Simpson says she has heard from other women who have had similar experiences.

“ The feeling is overwhelming, beautiful and humiliating all at the same time, ” she told People. “ I decided to write the book hoping that I could help someone who feels overwhelmed with life, who needs to read a path through all the hidden places and not feel alone with their pain.

“ It was written to someone who knows there is more to them in this life, but just needs encouragement to walk through it with compassion for the tough things. ”

“The personal offerings of courage, resilience and hope that people have entrusted to me over the past year have meant more to me than they will ever know,” she said.

“The stories reintroduced me to my ambition as a leader. The hearts and faces behind these stories will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Upcoming: After telling her story in her memoir, Simpson says she’s heard from other women who have had similar experiences