Cheryl Burke, baring her soul, delves into how the scars of her past traumas have subtly woven themselves into the fabric of her adult life. During a poignant appearance on the 'Oldish' podcast, hosted by Randy Spelling, Brian Austin Green, and Sharna Burgess, the 40-year-old dance veteran, Burke, recounted the harrowing experiences of sexual abuse she suffered as a child. Though she has made significant strides since testifying against her abuser at the tender age of nine, Burke, a former 'Dancing with the Stars' star, admitted that she is still very much in the throes of healing.
"Sharna, you mentioned, 'People must perceive your life as perfect, so serene, and marvel at how you've transcended your childhood abuse—the sexual molestation I endured as a little girl,'" Burke emotionally recounted. "Tragically, in my mind, that abuse has become my norm, my home."
She continued, her voice tinged with poignancy, "[It] started with the absence of a father figure, leading me to seek validation in men who were anything but healthy. But it went deeper—I unwittingly attracted physical and mental abuse because it was all I knew; it felt oddly comforting, like a twisted sense of belonging."
Burke further revealed how this ingrained comfort with mistreatment influenced her perception even into her professional life as a dancer. "I recall feeling an overwhelming disgust when I was paired with a respectful dance partner," she confessed. "It was a reflection of how deeply I hated myself—so much so that I was repelled by those who treated me kindly. I didn't realize it then, but I believed I didn't deserve such treatment; it was so unfamiliar, it gave me the creeps."
Burke, who has previously opened up about her decision to embrace celibacy following her separation from Matthew Lawrence in 2022, cited her traumatic responses as one of the primary reasons she remains single today. "This is precisely why I've chosen to be single, and I'll stay this way until—there's no magic wand, but I acknowledge I'm not yet ready to date," she said, her resolve unwavering.
Beyond the sexual abuse, Burke also shared the other traumatic experiences of her childhood that steered her towards toxic relationships as she grew older. "My earliest childhood memory is vividly etched—seeing my father with another woman, as if it were yesterday," she revealed, her voice laced with irony. "I often ask my guests about their first memory. Many cherish heartwarming visions of their grandmother scooping them up from a crib. But as for me? My inaugural memory paints a starkly different picture – it's my father engaging in an intimate embrace with another Filipino woman, none other than his secretary. And it's worth noting that this occurred even though my parents were already estranged. I was a mere toddler, barely two years of age.
"From that moment on, a deep imprint was left on my psyche, shaping the choices I made, the men I attracted—men who were anything but stable, until my stepfather entered my life, whom I call dad to this day," she concluded, her voice resonating with both pain and gratitude.
