Valerie Bertinelli Reveals She Was Sexually Abused at Age 11

Valerie Bertinelli has come forward about a harrowing time in her life ... saying she was sexually abused at the age of 11.

The famous chef opened up about her assault in an interview with People while promoting her upcoming memoir, 'Getting Naked,' in which she writes about the topic. Valerie tells the outlet she never planned on sharing the personal information ... but through therapy and personal work, she feels she's no longer controlled by the assault -- and sees herself as a survivor.

She notes it has taken her "at least" 10 years to be comfortable speaking about the dark period of her childhood, explaining ... "The very first time I said it out loud to my therapist, I thought 'I’m going to feel better now.' It got worse before it got better."

The "One Day at a Time" star says she turned to food and alcohol for comfort ... but slowly confronted her feelings -- including her immense shame over the assault -- and no longer feels anger. Valerie also notes she realized her deep self-criticism throughout her life was rooted in the embarrassment she felt.

In addition to working on her mindset, Valerie credits her work on "The Drew Barrymore Show," cooking, and support from her son, Wolfgang Van Halen, with helping her heal.