Julianne Hough: I was abused

Julianne Hough has opened up about the physical and emotional abuse she endured as a young dancer.

The 24-year-old star moved to England at age 10 to study ballroom dance before making it big in America. But she admits that time in her life was testing.

In an interview with US magazine Cosmopolitan, Julianne says she was sexualised too young and it greatly affected her self-confidence.

"I was 10 years old looking like I was 28, being a very sensual dancer. I was a tormented little kid who had to put on this sexy façade because that was my job and my life," she said. "But my heart was the same, and I was this innocent little girl."

The actress plays a domestic abuse survivor in forthcoming film Safe Haven.

She said the role hit close to home.

"While I was in London, I was abused, mentally, physically, everything," she explained, adding that the abuse got worse when she started hitting puberty and "stopped being a little girl".

Julianne declined to go into further detail.

"I'm a very forgiving person, and I don't want to hurt anybody. What's past is past," she said.

Julianne finally returned to America at the age of 15. She landed a role on Dancing with the Stars and has made a successful transition into acting.

She said she's speaking out in the hopes of letting other victims of abuse know they're not the ones to blame.

"I don't want pity," she said. "To me it's more about being that voice for people who don't necessarily have a voice."