Fábio Assunção reports, for the first time, harassment he suffered as a child: 'I didn't know how to formulate it, but I told my sister'

"I had a neighbor when I was a kid, when I was about eight or nine, who invited me to his apartment in Santos. I went in, and he started showing me a bunch of magazines. Soon after, he put his hand on me, grabbed it, and I ran away," he said.

The story followed a question from Josi, one of the interviewers present during the chat: "Actresses and artists are often questioned about harassment, and in recent years we've seen a wave of complaints from men who have experienced similar situations. Have you ever seen a similar situation?" the woman asked.

During the response, Fábio said that his reaction was to tell his family.

"I didn't know how to formulate it as harassment, but I told my sister. My sister said, 'Imagine.' I told my mother, 'Imagine, our neighbor of many years.' So I was like, 'Oh, that's it,'" said the actor, now 53.

Fábio said he doesn't believe his experience compares to the types of violence many women face. "I've never talked about it because I also don't think you can compare the harassment a man experiences to the harassment a woman experiences," he stated.

Throughout the report, shown this Sunday (4), the actor also addressed topics such as career, mental health, affections and traumas.

When sharing the biggest challenge of his professional career, Fábio spoke about his decision to leave a soap opera to take care of his mental health.

"There came a time when I think I had a breakdown. So, at that moment, I did a soap opera called Negócio da China that I had to leave, and that was the most difficult moment of my career," he said. "It was making the decision to leave a soap opera, even knowing the exposure I would get. But I left to take care of myself, to get treatment, to get my life in order."

The meeting was moderated by psychiatrist Daniela Bordini, from Unifesp, and brought together around 30 young autistic people. Fábio answered questions about fears, family relationships, and overcoming difficulties. "I've also had my share of hospitalizations. And that usually makes us feel ashamed. But think about it, who in the world doesn't experience their pain and difficulties?"

Fábio also spoke about the importance of mental health in everyday life: "Nothing is guaranteed. You can relapse, you can have new problems, but I think that by being connected to yourself, working, and so on, you'll live your life with much less risk."

At the end of the meeting, Fábio thanked everyone and revealed that he fears the day when he can no longer practice his profession: “I’m afraid that something will happen to me and I won’t be able to work.”

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