Musician and actress Rina Sawayama opened up about being groomed by a school teacher at the age of 17 in a recent interview.
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Sawayama's 2022 album, "Hold the Girl," was inspired by her troubling experience during her teenage years.
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She described feeling protective of her younger self, emphasizing that a school teacher's advances toward a student constitute an abuse of power.
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Sawayama reflected on the emotional toll of the relationship, sharing how she felt "slut-shamed" and lost her sense of self.
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The artist underwent therapy specializing in sex and relationships to process her trauma and healing.
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Sawayama's song "Your Age" on the album directly addresses her experience, expressing confusion and anger towards her school teacher.
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The interview shed light on how she reparented her inner child to cope with the trauma.
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In a previous interview with PEOPLE, Sawayama discussed the therapeutic process of writing her album, which delves into heavy subject matter.
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Despite entering the music industry relatively late, Sawayama emphasized the importance of hard work and persistence in achieving success.
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The revelation has sparked conversations about the abuse of power and the impact on survivors of grooming.
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