Selena: ‘I want to help other victims’
The singer claims she was emotionally abused by her ex, Justin Bieber
‘She fell for Justin’s mind games and lies’
Selena Gomez talked candidly about her personal life last week, including the shocking claims that she had suffered emotional abuse while she was with ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber. Now an insider tells heat the singer feels empowered to speak out, because she wants to help others who have been through similar experiences. “Selena’s had a lot of therapy and she’s discovered these past couple of years that her situation is far from unique. All over the world, there are these ultra-controlling, insecure guys who make people feel trapped. She used to pity Justin, but now she’s grown to resent him and all the hell he put her through – that’s why she’s decided to speak out. It’s been cathartic to get those feelings off her chest, but at the same time, she hopes it’ll help other victims come out of their shell and stand up for themselves.”
In a recent interview, the 27 year old spoke of her dramatic 2018 break-up with Justin, saying, “I felt I didn’t get a respectful closure.” She added that she’d “found the strength” in the pain she’d suffered and, “I do feel I was a victim to certain abuse” – then clarifying she was referring to “emotional abuse”.
Our source tells us, “She says Justin took her for granted and treated her horribly. He could be super-controlling and critical at times, but what made it worse was how dysfunctional their relationship became. She felt like she was constantly walking on eggshells, worrying he’d freak out about how she looked, if she was saying the right thing and whether her choices were in their best interests.”
The couple dated on and off for more than six years before their final break-up in March 2018 – just two months before Justin began dating Hailey Baldwin, who he married last September. Our insider adds, “Selena spent so many years thinking she’d never be able to function without Justin in her life. Her low self-esteem kept her coming back time and again, even though she knew it wasn’t right. She fell for Justin’s mind games and lies, fully believing that they were destined to be together forever. When he did the unthinkable and dumped her for Hailey – right after they’d agreed to get engaged – she went through hell emotionally and did some major soul-searching.”
In her interview, Selena said that she was now trying to look at those times positively, saying, “The only way it’s helped me is that I can use [those experiences] for good.” ■