Trigger Warning: This article includes references to mental abuse
Selena Gomez had an on-and-off relationship with Justin Bieber since 2011. The Loose You to Love Me singer once spoke about her past relationship with a fellow musician, revealing that she faced emotional abuse. She shared her experiences during an interview with NPR. Here’s what Selena said.
Selena Gomez revealed about emotional abuse with Justin Bieber
Back in 2020, Selena Gomez acknowledged that she went through difficult times in her on-and-off relationship with Bieber. She expressed, “I’ve found the strength in it. It’s dangerous to stay in a victim mentality, she added, And I’m not being disrespectful. I do feel I was a victim of certain abuse.” In the interview, Gomez confirmed that the abuse in her past relationship could be categorized as “emotional abuse.” She emphasized, “Yes, and I think that it’s something that … I had to find a way to understand it as an adult,” Gomez said. “As much as I definitely don’t want to spend the rest of my life talking about this, I am really proud that I can say I feel the strongest I’ve ever felt and I’ve found a way to just walk through it with as much grace as possible.”
Gomez and Bieber first started dating in 2011 when she was 18, and he was 16. Their relationship faced ups and downs and eventually came to an end in 2018. However, the interview did not specify when the emotional abuse occurred during their relationship. Gomez didn’t delve into the specific nature of the emotional abuse she endured. This type of abuse can often involve gaslighting, a form of manipulation that causes one to question their perceptions and reality. However, Bieber previously acknowledged his past issues in an Instagram post in September, revealing that he had faced difficulties, including drug use and mistreatment of his relationships when he gained fame. He has since grown and expressed positive changes in his life, including his marriage to Hailey Baldwin.
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Selena Gomez on narrating her own story
Gomez has been open about her life’s challenges, including her public breakups with Bieber and The Weeknd, her Lupus diagnosis, and her kidney transplant. She emphasized her desire to tell her story in her own way, taking control of her narrative. She told NPR, “The reason why I’ve become so vocal about the trials and tribulations of my life is because people were already going to narrate that for me, I want to be able to tell my story the way that I want to tell it … I just had to find a way to claim my story.” She aims to use her experiences to bring about positive change, especially by promoting mental well-being and advocating against cyberbullying on social media.
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