Lena Dunham opens up about being raped: 'I felt powerless'

Creator of TV show Girls originally wrote about her ordeal in her autobiography

Lena Dunham at Variety's Power of Women Gala (Gregory Pace/BEI/REX)

Lena Dunham has spoken candidly about the trauma she experienced writing about raped at college.

Speaking at the Variety Power of Women Gala, Dunham said: "When I was raped, I felt powerless. I felt my value had been determined by someone else."

Dunham emphasised the importance for rape survivors to acknowledge their self worth. "Someone who sent me the message that my body was not my own and my choices were meaningless," she said.

"It took years to recognise my worth was not tied to my assault, the voices telling me I deserved this were phantoms, they were liars.

"So as a feminist and sexual assault survivor, my ultimate goal is to use my experience, my platform and yes, my privilege, to reverse stigma and give voice to other survivors."

Dunham originally wrote about being raped in her 2014 autobiography Not That Kind of Girl. She wrote that she was drunk and high on Xanax and cocaine at a campus party the night she was attacked.

During the assault, Dunham recalls that she had not given consent to have sex, and hadn't given consent to not use a condom when she realised that he had discarded the contraceptive during intercourse.

She wrote:

“I think…? the condom’s…? In the tree?” I muttered feverishly.

“Oh,” he said, like he was as shocked as I was. He reached for it as if he was going to put it back on, but I was already up, stumbling towards my couch, which was the closest thing to a garment I could find. I told him he should probably go, chucking his hoodie and boots out the door with him. The next morning, I sat in a shallow bath for half an hour like someone in one of those coming-of-age movies.”