Pamela Anderson is opening up about the sexual assaults that happened to her when she was a child. At a launch event for the Pamela Anderson Foundation, dedicated to protecting the rights of animals, she revealed the horrific experiences that led her to protect animals "and only them."

"I feel now might be the time to reveal a few of my most painful memories," the actress told an audience at a backgammon competition beach party the Foundation, according to the Daily Mail. "At the risk of over-exposing myself, again, or being inappropriate, again, I thought I might share with you why I am doing this."

Anderson then recounted her first sexual experience as a harrowing one -- her female babysitter molested her at the age of 6. At 12 years old, a friend's "older brother decided to teach me backgammon, which led into a back massage, which led into rape – my first heterosexual experience," Anderson said. "He was 25 years old and I was 12." She also described how her first boyfriend organized for her to be gang raped.

"This meant I had a hard time trusting humans," she continued. "My parents tried to keep me safe, but to me, the world was not a safe place. My dad was an alcoholic, my mom worked two jobs, my mom was always crying, dad didn't always come home."

She said animals and nature became her only companions.

"I prayed to the whales with my feet in the ocean, my only real friends until I had children," the 46-year-old said.

Only through a nurturing, loving relationship with animals did Anderson come to move beyond the traumatic experiences.

"My loyalty was with the animal kingdom and I vowed to protect them and only them."