Julianne Hough is opening up for the first time about the alleged abuse she endured while studying dance at London’s prestigious Italia Conti Academy of the Arts. At 10, she landed a five-year scholarship, a grueling training schedule and rarely communicated with her family in Utah.

She tells Cosmo in the February cover story, “While I was in London, I was abused, mentally, physically, everything.” She declined to elaborate more on nature of the alleged abuse, adding, “I’m a very forgiving person, and I don’t want to hurt anybody. What’s past is past. I was 10, looking like I was 28, being a very sensual dancer. I was a tormented little kid who had to put on this sexy facade because that was my job.”

Read an interview sneak preview on cosmopolitan.com. The new issue hits newsstands January 8th.