Ellen DeGeneres’ Mom Betty Breaks Silence over Ex-Husband’s Alleged Abuse of Her Daughter

Betty DeGeneres has come forward to make a public statement as regards her 61-year-old daughter, Ellen’s emotional revelation of how her stepfather sexually abused her.

Betty, who is well past her prime, aged 89, addressed a public statement to NBC’s morning show, “Today.” Savannah Guthrie, who is a main co-anchor of the show, took to Twitter to share the statement.

Betty’s statement is a heartfelt one as she revealed that Ellen had told her about being sexually abused back when she was a teenager but that she never believed her. In regret, Betty implored parents to always understand their children no matter how unbelievable their words may be.

She wrote:

“I love my daughter, and I wish I had the capacity to listen to her when she told me what happened. I live with that regret, and I wouldn't want that for any other parent.”

Her sorrow hearing how her little girl must have been terrified at the mean advances must be overwhelming which makes it no wonder that she painstakingly penned down a message like this to be read out to the public.

Betty concluded the short statement saying:

“If someone in your life has the courage to speak out, please believe them.”

Ellen DeGeneres’ difficult encounter in her childhood became widespread after she recalled her childhood while speaking with David Letterman on his new “Netflix” talk show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction.”

Ellen, although remaining mute about the name of the man, disclosed that he had been her stepfather at the time and he repeatedly touched her breasts while explaining that he was only checking for breast lumps.

Still an innocent 15-year-old and knowing doctors had just diagnosed her mum with breast cancer at the time, Ellen had believed his words and let him do it. He, however, became increasingly abusive and even once broke down her door to get to her.

Unfortunately, when Ellen related the happenings to her mother at the time, Betty didn't believe her and was married to the unidentified man for about two decades! That is perhaps why the story is still very shocking even though Ellen already once talked about it in a 2005 interview with “Allure.”

The youthful beauty let her emotions run clear as she explained how degrading the acts had made her feel back then and even went on to speak encouraging words to girls who have or might face such an ordeal. She said:

“We [women] just don’t feel like we’re worthy, or we’re scared to have a voice, and we’re scared to say no. It is just time for us to have a voice, it’s time for us to have power.”

Now a highly-feted television personality, Ellen grew up well despite the brutal experience and is unarguably a daughter sure to make her mama very proud.