In a recent conversation with Howard Stern, Madonna revealed her experience of being raped at the age of 19, shortly after arriving in New York City in the late 1970s.

She had previously alluded to the incident in a 2013 essay for Harper’s Bazaar but had never spoken about it publicly in detail before.

In the essay, Madonna wrote about her initial challenges in New York, including being held at gunpoint, raped on a rooftop with a knife to her back, and having her apartment broken into three times.

During her interview with Stern, Madonna delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding the rape and her reasons for not reporting it.

Stern questioned whether it was a “date rape” situation or an attack from a stranger.

Madonna clarified that it was the latter, explaining that her friendly nature had led to her engaging in conversation with a seemingly amicable man who then offered her money to use a payphone.

She recounted that while she was on the phone, the man invited her to his nearby house to continue the call. She accepted his offer, stating that she “trusted everybody.”

However, she opted not to discuss further details of the incident.

As the conversation shifted to why Madonna did not report the rape, Stern acknowledged that many women find themselves in similar situations, describing it as “an epidemic.”

Madonna shared her reluctance to press charges, which would have required a physical examination, going before a court, and answering invasive personal questions.

She felt that doing so would be too humiliating and decided it wasn’t worth the effort.

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) reports that approximately 68% of rapes go unreported to police, with 98% of rapists never spending a day in jail.