Selena Gomez
Reuters

Selena Gomez started dating Justin Bieber in 2011 said that she experienced emotional abuse during their relationship, NBC News reports.

As one of the most celebrated, adored, and admired teen couples of the previous decade, Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber may not have been all rainbows and butterflies. Gomez revealed recently that she experienced emotional abuse over the course of their relationship.

Gomez told NPR in an interview on Sunday about her on and off relationship with Bieber stating that, "I've found the strength in it. It's dangerous to stay in a victim mentality and I'm not being disrespectful. I do feel I was a victim of certain abuse."

When Selena Gomez was asked by the news outlet if the abuse she experienced could be categorized as "emotional abuse," the musician confirmed it. She said: "Yes, and I think that it's something that ... I had to find a way to understand it as an adult. As much as I don't want to spend the rest of my life talking about this, I am proud that I can say I feel the strongest I've ever felt and I've found a way to just walk through it with as much grace as possible."

As you may recall, Gomez started dating Bieber when she was 18 years old and he was 16. Bieber and Gomez last dated in 2018. However, it is not clear as to when in their relationship Gomez experienced her alleged emotional abuse.

Meanwhile, the National Commission Against Domestic Violence defines psychological or emotional abuse as "a pattern of abuse that includes manipulation, rejection, bullying, and intimidation. However, Gomez did not give any details as to what extent of emotional abuse she experienced to Justin Bieber.

Moreover, the NCADV said that gaslighting is oftentimes the form of abuse experienced by a person who is in a relationship. This is a form of abuse where a person makes their partner question their ability to trust themselves and their perceptions about reality. They also added that nearly half of U.S. women experience this form of psychological abuse.

It is also believed that gaslighting is more subtle compared to physical and sexual abuse as this form of abuse can happen to anyone regardless of their gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or economic background.

NBC has tried its best to reach out to the representatives of Bieber and Gomez for comments. Meanwhile, Bieber did not give yet any comments about Gomez's interview, but it can be remembered that he posted on his Instagram account in September that he "started doing heavy drugs at 19 and abused all [his] relationships" as he struggled with his fame.

He also wrote, "I became resentful, disrespectful to women and angry," he also added that it has taken him years to address his relationship habits. Moreover, Bieber got married to Hailey Baldwin in September 2018 and described his marriage as the best season in his life.

It is already common knowledge to everyone that Gomez has been consistently open about her life, from her relationship with Bieber to a kidney transplant. She said: "The reason why I've become so vocal about the trials and tribulations of my life is that people were already going to narrate that for me. I want to be able to tell my story the way that I want to tell it ... I just had to find a way to claim my story."