Joshua Basset discusses his abuse and trauma

[ThisGuyTony 30,970]

“That excavation has turned up other, more serious traumas, he suddenly tells me. Midway through our conversation, Basset out of nowhere states that "I experienced sexual abuse a lot in my childhood.”

He looks down and tears up as he continues: “I didn't remember that until last year, which is pretty insane. I buried it so far.

And when I was a teen, a much older man routinely abused me, and I wasn't able to see it for what it was at the time."

“Set Me Free,” the third song released today, is in part about processing this experience, he says—he calls it “an anthem for me and the sort of people who’ve held pain and power over me my whole life.”

He continues: “you’ve taken so much from me, but you don’t get to take all of me.” Bassett plans to explore this further on an episode of a podcast series dedicated to “heavy talks” that he says will launch next year—he says he can “hopefully help people who are experiencing that” and that he wants it to be “the podcast that I wish I had when I was a kid.”

Source: https://www.gq.com/story/joshua-bassett-woodstock?utm_campaign=likeshopme&client_service_id=31205&utm_social_type=owned&utm_brand=gq&service_user_id=1.78e+16&utm_content=instagram-bio-link&utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&client_service_name=gq&supported_service_name=instagram_publishing

[Thomas P 18,479]

Oh my god that is so upsetting. I hope his recovery is ongoing and effective, he deserves it as does anyone who has underwent such trauma.

[CyanDante 6,114]

Really brave of me for talking about it. Having gone through something similar so early in my childhood, the burying up of bad memories or the repressed memories, hits especially hard, because it is 100% true. And then when you actually realize it, it becomes an extremely difficult thing to process and put your head around.

More power to him ❤️

[MonsterPug 494]

I never believed this was true that people don’t remember their sexual abuse. Later on through therapy I realized the same thing happened to me. Some traumas are so strong that the brain shuts down and represses the  memory. It’s still a struggle to admit it. I still can’t remember all of it. But I know why I have a hard time hugging people. Why I’ve never had a partner. I’m glad he’s speaking up on it. It’s brave. 

[Dojo 19,372]

crazy how the mind buries those memories of trauma! idk how i would feel if suddenly out of nowhere memories come back like that

he is so brave and i think he is in a healing path! 

[samaria 230]

I highly recommend the GQ article this quote came from: https://www.gq.com/story/joshua-bassett-woodstock

He also discusses how he's been dealing with the OR album:

"I'm glad that it's taken this long" to release the songs, Bassett says (the proceeds will go to mental health organizations, he adds). The first line of “Crisis” is “My label says to never waste a crisis," followed later by "You would never waste a crisis,” and he tells me that in the wake of the “Drivers License” “media storm,” his record label wanted to take advantage of the moment.

But at the time, “it sort of felt like a losing battle… If I try and defend myself in any way, it just felt impossible.” He says that although he’s tried, "[Rodrigo] hasn't spoken to me since ‘Drivers License’ came out." Nevertheless, her songs have been unavoidable: “I would be on my way to sessions and I would hear two songs on the same station in one Uber ride.” At a coffee shop last summer, the staff started playing Rodrigo songs back to back until Bassett left, he says; an employee apologized when he came back a few days later.

[HorusRa2 5,005]

It's crazy how deep we push our trauma to. The more uncomfortable it makes us feel, the further we push it down until it becomes ingrained in the subconscious. And we don't even realize the effect it has on our lives until we have the courage to go to the space where we left it in the first place. It's a level of self-intimacy that results in reinvention & transformation. I'm glad he's seemed to have finally went to that space for his own personal journey. What better way to resolve trauma than to transform beyond it? 

[HorusRa2 5,005]

edit: apparently quote and edit are different buttons. @_@ 

sorry for double post. 

[Versace 7,979]

10 hours ago, samaria said:

I highly recommend the GQ article this quote came from: https://www.gq.com/story/joshua-bassett-woodstock

He also discusses how he's been dealing with the OR album:

"I'm glad that it's taken this long" to release the songs, Bassett says (the proceeds will go to mental health organizations, he adds). The first line of “Crisis” is “My label says to never waste a crisis," followed later by "You would never waste a crisis,” and he tells me that in the wake of the “Drivers License” “media storm,” his record label wanted to take advantage of the moment.

But at the time, “it sort of felt like a losing battle… If I try and defend myself in any way, it just felt impossible.” He says that although he’s tried, "[Rodrigo] hasn't spoken to me since ‘Drivers License’ came out." Nevertheless, her songs have been unavoidable: “I would be on my way to sessions and I would hear two songs on the same station in one Uber ride.” At a coffee shop last summer, the staff started playing Rodrigo songs back to back until Bassett left, he says; an employee apologized when he came back a few days later.

I think Joshua had a lot on his plate already (processing his sexuality, processing his abuse and processing fame even), that no wonder he might not have been ready to commit to a relationship. I think sometimes when you’re going through things and keep them to yourself, the people around you start to make assumptions. While I can’t discredit Olivia’s emotions, I feel as though she misjudged Joshua’s character and her narrative ultimately portrayed him as a villain to the GP. I feel for the guy and hope things get better for him. 

[InTheCloset 20,202]

This is really really sad. As someone who was sexually assaulted in childhood i get when he says that he just remembered it. I remembered bits and pieces too but finally remembered it all when i was 17-18. And the trauma is really something you have to deal with on a daily basis, even in small acts. I hope he gets the help he needs and heals.