Riverdale star Camila Mendes reveals she survived sexual assault
Riverdale star Camila Mendes has opened up about surviving sexual assault while she was attending college in the US.
The actor appeared on the cover of Women's Health this week, discussing the emotional meaning behind her one and only tattoo.
The inking features the words "to build a home" along her ribcage, and Mendes has yet to speak about its reference until now.
The 25-year-old credited the tattoo with her memories of moving around a lot during her childhood, as well as a "very, very bad experience" in college.
“I got the tattoo after my freshman year. I had a very, very bad experience; I was roofied by someone who sexually assaulted me,” she told the magazine.
The feeling of safety itself can epitomise home for many people, not just a place or a town: "If you don’t have that literal box, you have to create it in your habits.”
She has found a sense of comfort over time by putting herself first and self-care; “Whenever I feel like I’m going through something difficult, I think about what I can do physically for myself.
"People sometimes put working out first and don’t give their bodies rest. I’ll always choose sleep first. I think it’s just so underrated.”
“I danced for seven years, from age 4 to 11," she added. "Then I did musicals as a kid, then so much of acting school is movement classes and connecting your breath to your body. Activity has always been an important part of my life."
Feature image: Instagram/@camimendes
