WNBA star Breana Stewart says she was sexually abused as a child
Breana Stewart
WNBA star Breana Stewart  is now sharing a story of  her  own in light of the #MeToo movement.
In an essay called "Me Too" on The Players' Tribune   Stewart  revealed that  she  was sexually abused as a child by a man who lived in one of the houses of  her  relatives.  She  said the man was a construction worker and smoked cigarettes but did not identify  her  abuser.
 Stewart  said  she  turned to basketball during this time because it "became a sort of safe space" for the current Seattle Storm forward.
"In some ways  I'm still the same 11-year-old who just wanted to go to practice  " Stewart  wrote. "I've never been to therapy. I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to relive it. It's something I've tried to tuck away as far back on the shelf as I could. But that only works to an extent. I've cried. I cry most after I tell someone who's important to me. Talking about what I went through  explaining all of it -- it guts me. I'm forced to relive it. That's when it hits that what happened is real. It wasn't just an awful nightmare. It wasn't some other life I lived at another time."
The 23-year-old said  she  told  her  parents about the abuse when  she  was 11 years old and the man was later arrested and confessed his crimes.  Stewart  said  she  wishes  she  could forget the memories of  her  experience.
"I'm angry he took advantage of me as a child. I'll never get that time back. And what memories I still have  I'll never be able to erase them. Sometimes I wish for a few more black holes "  Stewart  said.
 Breanna Stewart  said basketball became a safe space for  her  as child. (Jessica Hill/AP)
 Stewart  said  she  decided to come forward with  her  story because the movement is something bigger than  her .
 Stewart  was a basketball star for the UConn women's basketball team.  She  won the NCAA national championship four times and was given the Naismith Award for college basketball's most outstanding player on three occasions.
So far  she  has seamlessly transitioned to the WNBA and was given the Rookie of the Year award in 2016.
[TGT] is now sharing a story of   [TGT]   own in light of the #MeToo movement.
In an essay called "Me Too" on The Players' Tribune   Stewart  revealed that  she  was sexually abused as a child by a man who lived in one of the houses of  her  relatives.  She  said the man was a construction worker and smoked cigarettes but did not identify  her  abuser.
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   turned to basketball during this time because it "became a sort of safe space" for the current Seattle Storm forward.
"In some ways  I'm still the same 11-year-old who just wanted to go to practice  "  [TGT]   wrote. "I've never been to therapy. I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to relive it. It's something I've tried to tuck away as far back on the shelf as I could. But that only works to an extent. I've cried. I cry most after I tell someone who's important to  [TGT] . Talking about what I went through  explaining all of it -- it guts me. I'm forced to relive it. That's when it hits that what happened is real. It wasn't just an awful nightmare. It wasn't some other life I lived at another time."
The 23-year-old said  she  told  her  parents about the abuse when  she  was 11 years old and the man was later arrested and confessed his crimes.   [TGT] said   [TGT]   wishes   [TGT]   could forget the memories of   [TGT]   experience.
"I'm angry he took advantage of  [TGT]  as a child. I'll never get that time back. And what memories I still have  I'll never be able to erase them. Sometimes I wish for a few more black holes "   [TGT] said.
  [TGT] said basketball became a safe space for   [TGT]   as child. (Jessica Hill/AP)
  [TGT] said   [TGT]   decided to come forward with   [TGT]   story because the movement is something bigger than   [TGT]  .
  [TGT] was a basketball star for the UConn women's basketball team.   [TGT]   won the NCAA national championship four times and was given the Naismith Award for college basketball's most outstanding player on three occasions.
So far   [TGT]   has seamlessly transitioned to the WNBA and was given the Rookie of the Year award in 2016.