The 'Dancing with the Stars' pro opens up about her toxic relationship during her high-school years, recalling how she was flogged with a belt by then-boyfriend.
- Nov 2, 2022
AceShowbiz - Cheryl Burke remembers being "whipped with a belt" by an abusive ex-boyfriend. The 38-year-old star was left with bruises "all over her legs" by a guy whom she was dating during her high-school years and his parents - who witnessed the assault - failed to do anything about it.
"Not to get too graphic, but in high school - I'll never forget, the person I was with whipped me with a belt. I had bruises all over my legs. I remember his parents were watching it but they didn't do anything. And it wasn't like he was hitting me, he was whipping me," she told host Jada Pinkett Smith when speaking on an upcoming episode of "Red Table Talk".
The "Dancing with the Stars" pro was married to Matthew Lawrence from 2019 until 2022 and previously explained that the "first time" she had not entered into an abusive relationship was when she began dating the "Boy Meets World" actor in 2007.
While still married to Matthew, she said, "Looking back, I honestly think that the first relationship I ever had that did not fit this abusive pattern was when my now-husband Matt and I dated the first time back in 2007."
"I honestly think at the time when we first dated, I didn't clearly love myself enough to think that I deserved to be with someone who was actually nice to me. And I was just wrapped up in this new get-out-of-jail-free card, L.A.-party lifestyle, whereas he had already kind of been there and done that, since he grew up in this industry."
Cheryl's interview on "Red Table Talk" is set to stream on Facebook Watch on Wednesday, November 2.
