Former Pakistani actress Somy Ali, who entered into Bollywood at the age of 16, rose to fame when she caught the eye of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.
The duo met through a common friend and dated for about eight years.
However, rumors suggest that Somy was not too fond of Salman's drinking and aggressive behaviour. She split from the actor in 1999.
After her breakup from Salman, the Pakistani actress returned to Florida, where she started a voluntary organistaion, No More Tears (NMT), to help women who have suffered abuse.
In an interview published in Mid-Day.com, Somy Ali shared her own experiences of being sexually abused as a child.
She helps hundreds of abused women in the States. Her voluntary organisation, NMT, turned eight on March 27 and talking to Mid-Day, Somy opened up about the real reason behind starting the NGO.
"I grew up amidst an atmosphere of domestic violence in Pakistan and many of my mom's friends were victims of physical abuse as well. When I would ask my mom about the bruises on their bodies, I was always told that X aunty or Y aunty fell down the stairs. This was the standard, universal euphemism for physical abuse," she states before moving on to an even more shocking detail of her life.
"I was sexually assaulted by a house-help when I was just five. When I am invited for a talk at high schools and universities in the US, I share this with the students. I believe sharing my personal experiences would encourage others to speak out and not be ashamed about being a victim," she says.
Returning to the topic of her former relationship with Salman Kham, Somy clarified the rumour of how Salman smashed a cola bottle on her head. "No, if he had done that, I would have been hospitalised and bleeding profusely. He was not happy because I was trying alcohol for the first time, so in his frustration, he poured the drink all over the table."