La Toya Jackson: Female music stars are vulnerable

La Toya Jackson worries female singers fall into abusive relationships because it's so obvious they are making money.

The American star is promoting her autobiography Starting Over which details her tumultuous marriage to Jack Gordon, who was also her manager and died in 2005. The pair married in 1989, although La Toya has claimed she was forced to take part in the nuptials. She has made allegations of violence against him, and filed for divorce in 1997.

The star claims to have given Jack over $100,000 even before she started working for him, and worries the same thing could happen to another young star.

't's basically greed. These people see these women and they know how much money is involved, and they're going to get what they need out of these people,' she told WWD.

'A lot of times women don't realise what the signs are that it's time to get up and get away. The longer you stay, the worse it will get. The signs include aggressiveness, verbal abuse, raising their voice. You have to demand respect. I was sheltered, and I didn't know any better. I wasn't used to the streets, wasn't used to the con artists. I got a crash course in life.'

Although La Toya worries about other young stars, she also looks up to many of today's musicians.

She found the death of 27-year-old Amy Winehouse upsetting as she was so talented, and has praised Lady Gaga for bringing something new to the industry.

' really do think [Gaga's] exceptionally smart. She has captured the world, and she has patterned her life after Grace Jones and Madonna. She has pushed it down the world's throat. She's a very clever girl. I like it,' she said.

La Toya had a successful music career when she was younger, but doesn't sing anymore. She's appeared in several reality television shows though, such as the UK edition of Big Brother and America's Armed & Famous where she became a police officer.

The 55-year-old used to dislike such programmes, but is now obsessed with them. She enjoys seeing how other families behave and comparing them to her famous clan.

' was so terribly against reality television. I love reality TV,' she said. 't taught me a great deal, that people are rude and embarrassing, swear at the parents. I didn't know guys did this, it's amazing to me. The [famously dysfunctional] Jacksons are quite perfect compared to the families you see on television. They're like angels.'

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