John Stamos Says He Was Sexually Abused by a Babysitter: ‘I Packed It Away’ (Exclusive)

John Stamos is speaking for the first time about a traumatic period in his childhood.

The Full house The alum, 60, revealed in his forthcoming memoir, If you had told me, from October 24, that he survived sexual abuse. The misbehavior allegedly occurred at the hands of his former nanny.

Stamos exclusively told PEOPLE that “it took me writing a book” to realize her alleged actions were inappropriate.

“I mean, I knew, it was always in the back, and I’m so in favor of it [survivors]” he says. “I felt like I remembered a little bit of it. It’s always been there, but I packed it away like people do, didn’t I?”

At the time, Stamos “didn’t tell anyone,” as he claims. “I think I was like, ‘Ah, it’s girls, man.'”

“It was like pretending to be dead and they’ll stop. But it wasn’t completely aggressive,” he recalls. – I don’t know, it wasn’t good.

John Stamos (right) is pictured with his father Bill Stamos (left).

Instagram of John Stamos

Stamos first addressed it while writing an acceptance speech for an award he once received for his advocacy for abused children. “I started writing it and that’s when it really came out,” he recalls.

“And then I thought, ‘No, tonight’s not about me. It’s about the kids. I’m going to pack it in until the right moment again,'” he continues. “Otherwise I’m a fake. It’s like ‘come on’.”

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John Stamos is shown being shot in Malibu on October 2, 2023.

Jeff Lipsky

From Stamos’ perspective, it was important not to make the moment about himself.

“I didn’t want the titles to be like that and I didn’t want the book to end there,” he explains. “It was a page or something, but I felt like I had to talk about it. It was weird. It was something I was, I think, probably 10 or 11 [when it happened]. I shouldn’t have had to deal with those feelings.”

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Stamos is now a father. He had his son Billy, who is now 5 years old, in April 2018 with his wife Caitlin McHugh Stamos.

“But I’ll tell you, if I found out someone was doing this to my son,” he says, “that’s a whole different story.”

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It was important for big beast actor to be honest about all aspects of his life, both highs and lows, in his debut memoir.

“I was going to write a heroic story, but as I was doing it I said, ‘No, I’m going to tell a human story,'” he says. “Because with a hero story, it’s bullshit—. And unless I was one hundred percent open, why am I doing this, right? But it was hard.”

Pictured is John Stamos’ memoir, ‘If You Told Me’.

Jeff Lipsky

Memoirs of John Stamos, If you had told me, it is available on October 24 wherever books are sold.

For more on John Stamos, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday, or subscribe here.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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Source: HIS Education