Mo'Nique's brother apologises for abuse

Apr 20, 2010, 9:30 GMT

Mo'Nique's brother has apologised for sexually abusing her when she was seven.

The Oscar-winning actress' older sibling, Gerald Imes, has spoken out about the attacks - which apparently took place over two years - and begged for forgiveness for breaking her "trust".

Speaking on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show', he said: "I'm sorry, Mo'Nique. I'm sorry.

"I betrayed everybody's trust. I broke that trust. I broke that bond."

Imes says the molestations took place mainly when he believed his sister - now aged 42 - was asleep.

He also claims his attacks on Mo'Nique, which happened when he was 13, stemmed from his drink and drug problems - which he started taking as a child to mask his own turmoil over being abused himself.

He said: "I started using cocaine, heroin, alcohol at the age of 11. I used these drugs to hide my own pain, to hide my own fears... The drugs allowed me and afforded me the opportunity to hurt my sister."

Imes was later sentenced to 12 years in prison for assaulting another girl.

However, he is now desperate to repair his relationship with Mo'Nique.

He added: "I can only hope by coming forth today... that somewhere down the line. we can come back together as siblings. I understand your pain. I truly think, let's share this together and move on."

In 2008, Mo'Nique spoke out about how she used her "monster" brother to help her get into character for her movie 'Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire', where she played an unemployed woman who physically, sexually and mentally abused her 16-year-old daughter Claireece (Gabourey Sidibe).

At the time, she revealed: "I was molested by my older brother. And even when I confronted him and told my parents, he said I was lying, and nothing was really done.

"My brother was a monster to me."

She said the attacks took place four times over four years, and he apparently used sweets to bribe her into their family bathroom, where he would molest her.

Mo'Nique - who is now married to Sidney Hicks - also blasted her sibling for refusing to acknowledge he had hurt her.

She said: "He still acts like he doesn't know what I'm talking about. So screw hurting your feelings. You need to get your feelings hurt, and you need to get some help."

Mo'Nique refused to be involved in Imes' televised interview or respond to his apology.