Catelynn Baltierra (née Lowell) revealed that she was sexually abused as a child during the “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter” reunion.
While talking about husband Tyler Baltierra’s own history of childhood sexual abuse, Catelynn told hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Nessa that she had experienced something similar while growing up.
“[I was] probably like, 7 or 8 [years old],” she said during the Oct. 11 reunion. “That’s the first time [I] ever [said] it on camera. I’m 31 and I … never told my parents about it until recently. [I told my dad] and my mom.”
However, Catelynn — who has had a very rocky relationship with her mother, April — says her family didn’t take the news very well.
“Her response to me was — she said that I sounded dumb as f—k,” Catelynn shared, which Tyler reiterated. “And then she called me on the phone and she was wasted.”
Catelynn claims that her mom even “got a tattoo of the word ‘toxic’ on her body for me, because I call her toxic.”
The “Teen Mom” star did not reveal who the perpetrator was.
Viewers watched Tyler come to terms with his own traumatic past during intensive therapy sessions this season.
“I was holding on to a lot of guilt and shame,” the 31-year-old said. “Because I feel like being molested as a child created this hypersexuality growing up.”
The reality TV star — who is dad to daughters Nova, 8, Vaeda, 4, and Rya, 2 — went on to explain that his “hypersexuality” was the “reason” his now-wife got pregnant “at such a young age.”
Despite expecting his first child at age 17, the couple ultimately decided to put their daughter Carly up for adoption.
“A big thing for me was letting that go,” he explained. “It’s not the kid’s fault.”
“I think it happens to more men than what people even talk about,” Catelynn added.
The couple have been together since middle school and wed in 2015. Earlier this season, Tyler broke down in tears as he recalled feeling suicidal while grappling with his past.
In order to cope with his feelings, the father of three wrote a letter to his wife to explain his inner turmoil.
“There will come a time in your life when that pain is so excruciating that the only remedy for the unbearable suffering you’re feeling is to die,” Tyler read out loud through tears. “I’m here to tell you that you will survive for a reason, and that reason has a name. It’s Cate.”
“You will meet the most purest example of love that you’ve ever felt or witnessed in your life because of her,” he continued. “She will show you how you truly are worthy of love. She’ll prove to you why you weren’t supposed to die that day.”
“You will fall madly in love and that love will result in the other reason you survived, and that’s to be a father, to bring four beautiful children into the world, to give those children the father you never had, and by giving them that you will break so many generational traumas.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-330-0226.
