Opening for the first time in detail about the aftermath of getting raped at 19, Lady Gaga declared that the incident has forever changed her life on Dec. 10, Thursday.
The 29-year-old singer was speaking at a Times Talk panel discussion when she explained that when someone undergo through such a trauma, one tend to re-experience it through several years.
"A lot of people suffer not just emotional and mental pain, but physical pain as a result of being abused, raped or traumatized in some way," said the six-time Grammy award winner, who has recently recorded an emotional number "Til It Happens To You" for the "The Hunting Ground," a documentary on campus rape.
The singer also revealed that after the incident, she did not tell anyone for almost seven years. She admittedly did not know how to accept the truth in her life and even blamed herself sometimes for the attack.
The following day, the singer performed her tribute song to victims of sexual assault at Billboard's 10th Annual Women awards' Music luncheon at Cipriani in New York. She was named Billboard's Woman of the Year and received the honor after an introduction by her mother, Cynthia Germanotta.
The singer was also accompanied by her fiancé Taylor Kinney and was joined by a host of female performers, including Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez and Ciara.
"It's really hard sometimes for women in music. It's like a f*cking boys club that we just can't get into," Gaga told the crowd during her acceptance speech, Daily Mail reported.