NEWSModern Family's Ariel Winter Says Being 'Preyed Upon Online So Many Times' as a Teen Led to 'Deep' Trauma: 'I've Been Through Some S---'
After Modern Family wrapped in 2020, star Ariel Winter jumped at the opportunity to take a step back from the spotlight — and she had good reason.
In a new interview, the actress, 27, revealed that though she's still acting, she moved out of Los Angeles, as the city is a reminder of how she was incessantly body-shamed — and even preyed upon — as a teenager.
Ariel Winter revealed she was 'preyed upon online' as a teenager.
"I just left the city of L.A. It holds some not-great memories for me, and I’m young and never lived anywhere else, and thought, ‘Why not?’ If you’re no longer on a network show that shoots there, you don’t really have to be there, and if I get a network show, I can easily go back," she explained.
The TV star finally found a way to help others after she came across Max’s Undercover Underage, which centers on an organization called SOSA (Safe From Online S-- Abuse).
The actress joined the organization SOSA to help catcher predators.
"I was just like, ‘God, I’d love to be a part of that.' It just impacted me so deeply because I’d been that kid who’d been preyed upon online so many times," Winter shared.
"Technically, yes, I’m a survivor. I’ve gone through some s---. But a lot of people have gone through some s---. Calling me a survivor takes away from what I’m here for, which is to help others and shine a spotlight on those that need it," she continued. "More than anything, I want my story to be that she uses her platform for good. My journey to figuring things out and healing is now through helping other people. That’s all I care about."
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The 'Modern Family' alum admitted comments about her body led to trauma.
The Sofia the First alum said she quickly became a "target" for harassers and bullies because of her body.
"It was just everywhere. It was every headline I read about myself, like, grown people writing articles about me saying how I looked terrible or pregnant or like a fat s---," she recalled. "I mean, I was 14. It totally damaged my self-esteem."
"I understood what it was like to be hated," Winter confessed. "It made it very difficult to look at myself in the mirror and go, ‘I love this version of me.'"
Winter moved out of L.A. but is still acting.
When asked if she could pinpoint the biggest battle of her younger days, she admitted, "Honestly, it’s just my entire childhood."
"It’s a really deep, painful, sore, sore part for me that’s so much deeper and bigger than I’ve ever felt ready to talk about," Winter added.
Unlike many child stars, Winter didn't have the comfort of her parents to lean on, as she accused her single mother of abuse — something the latter denied.
At 14 years old, the Department of Child and Family Protective Services removed her from her home and placed her in the care of older sister Shanelle Gray.
The star currently has no relationship with her mom.
People spoke with Winter.
