Cheryl Burke says she was ‘sexually abused’ by ‘old retired postman’
The 38-year-old star, whose parents divorced when she was two because her father Stephen Louis Burke was unfaithful, explained that her stepfather Robert Wolf had hired an older babysitter when she was a child.
And the dancer claimed that although there was “no intercourse” she was “groomed” by him and that he became her “definition of love” in her youth.
Heartbreaking story: Cheryl Burke was ‘sexually abused’ by an ‘old retired postman’. The 38-year-old star, whose parents divorced when she was two because her father was unfaithful, explained that her stepfather hired an older babysitter when she was a child
She was just a little girl: and the dancer claimed that although there was “no intercourse” she was “groomed” by him and that he became her “definition of love” in her youth
She said: “It wasn’t intercourse. There were other things that happened, sexual acts, but I never felt physically hurt. There were moments… [where] it didn’t feel bad. It was actually intimate.
“He nursed me and he was my definition of love. That equals love, right? Seeing my father’s infidelity, being abused by this old retired postman and I didn’t really know what a ‘healthy’ relationship was or was.’
Her father is Stephen Louis Burke and her mother is Sherri Burke. She later married Wolf.
The former Dancing with the Stars pro – who was previously married to Boy Meets World actor Matthew Lawrence from 2019 to 2022 – went on to explain that she was “brainwashed” because there was no “stable father figure” in her life a crucial moment.
Early days: Cheryl, left, with her mother Sherri and stepfather Robert Wolf
Such a difficult childhood: Speaking on Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk, she told host Jada Pinkett-Smith, “There was no stable father figure in my life. It’s like brainwashing those moments of your childhood when it really matters.
And she has claimed that dancing “saved her life.”
Speaking on Facebook Watch’s Red Table Talk, she told host Jada Pinkett-Smith, “There hasn’t been a stable father figure in my life. It’s like brainwashing those moments of your childhood when it really matters.
“This happened for many years and no one said anything except my older sister’s friend who did the right thing, ran home to her parents and told them and then they contacted my family. I actually testified against him at nine, I think.
Painful memory: She said, “It wasn’t intercourse. There were other things that happened, sexual acts, but I never felt physically hurt. There were moments… [where] it didn’t feel bad. It was really intimate.’ Seen in high school
Terrible time: “This happened for many years and no one said anything except my older sister’s friend, who did the right thing, ran home to her parents and told them, and then they contacted my family. I actually testified against him at nine I think,’ she said
“Thank god for the dancing. It saved my life.”
However, Cheryl added that the world of dance is not an entirely “safe space” and she is beginning to realize that she has also been a victim of “sexual and psychological abuse” throughout her career in the male-dominated world of the ballroom.
She added: “It wasn’t a perfectly safe space either.
“In this industry of the competitive ballroom world, it’s a man’s world. The man leads, the woman follows, from the dance floor to the dance floor. With that come abusive partners and abusive coaches.
“Was there sexual abuse and psychological abuse? One hundred percent. Am I getting it now? Yes, sure, as I keep doing the work.’
She is still close to her mother: Cheryl with her mom Sherri Burke
This comes after Burke claimed an abusive ex was whipping her with a belt while his parents watched.
The beauty claimed her former high school partner, who she dated for four years, left her “bruises on her legs” after repeatedly hitting her with a belt, even in front of his parents.
She told Jada Pinkett Smith: “Not to be too graphic, but in high school I’ll never forget that the person I dated on and off for four years belt whipped me.
“And I had bruises all over my legs. I remember his parents watching and doing nothing.
“And it wasn’t like he hit me, he whipped me.”
Good Match: Burke seen on Dancing With The Stars with Sam Champion