00:00Keira Knightley, the beloved star of Pirates of the Caribbean, has recently shared her traumatic
00:04experiences with gaslighting and victim blaming during her rise to fame as a teenager in the early
00:102000s. Knightley, who became famous as a teenager with hits like Bend It Like Beckham and Love
00:15Actually, recently told the LA Times that her success came at a big cost.
00:20She was constantly chased by paparazzi and scrutinized by the press.
00:24During the interview, Knightley described the industry atmosphere as violent and misogynistic.
00:28She recounted being told that she wanted to be stalked. She continued,
00:32it was a brutal time to be a young woman in the public eye.
00:36Today, the experience of Knightley resonates strongly with young women navigating the
00:40pressures of social media, to which Knightley said,
00:42When you look at the damage that's been done to young women, to teenage girls,
00:46ultimately that's what fame is. It's being publicly shamed. A lot of teenage girls don't survive that.
00:53According to the Center for Disease Control,
00:55female suicide rates have declined recently for all age groups over 25,
00:59but have generally increased for those aged 10-14 and 15-24.
01:04In 2023, Tandem Psychology shared how victim blaming and gaslighting can have severe
01:09psychological effects, which leads its victims to doubt their moral status as a person deserving
01:14of kindness and able to discern harm. Keira Knightley's words shed light on
01:19the immense pressure young women face, both in the spotlight and on social media.
01:23Her painful experiences of gaslighting and victim blaming serve as a stark reminder
01:28of how these damaging attitudes can continue to affect today's generation,
01:32leaving lasting scars on both celebrities and countless girls and teenagers,
01:36navigating the harsh realities of growing up in the digital age.
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