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Matthew Sandusky, Jerry Sandusky's Adopted Son, Tells the Untold Story of His Childhood Sexual Abuse

Aired on 07/17/2014 | CC tv-14
Oprah speaks exclusively with Matthew Sandusky, the adopted son of former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, who tells the untold story of his childhood sexual abuse. In his first television interview since Jerry Sandusky's 2012 conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse, Matthew reveals never-before-heard details of the sexual abuse he experienced as a child at the hands of his adoptive father, and explains why he is choosing to speak out now. During the trial, Matthew gave a statement to local police that Jerry Sandusky had started sexually abusing him around the age of 10, though he was not one of the 10 victims Jerry Sandusky was convicted of abusing in the criminal trial. After the trial, Penn State University and a third-party law firm found enough merit and credibility to award a financial settlement to 26 of Jerry Sandusky's victims, including Matthew. In the interview, Matthew shares a deeply personal account of the grooming, methodical control and manipulation he faced as a child, and responds to the accusations his adoptive mother, Dottie Sandusky, made on national television, in which she accused him of lying and stealing from the family. Additionally, Matthew talks about the foundation he has established to help victims of child abuse and trauma.

Tune in for this special episode of Oprah Prime on Thursday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET/PT.