Nicki Minaj's Husband Kenneth Petty's Attempted Rape Victim Jennifer Hough Sobs In First Interview Since Suing Couple, Details Lifelong Trauma
Sept. 22 2021, Published 4:58 p.m. ET
Sexual assault survivor Jennifer Hough sobbed during her first interview since suing rapper Nicki Minaj and her husband, Kenneth Petty.
In the lawsuit filed last month, Hough accused the couple of harassing, intimidating and inflicting emotional distress upon her by pressuring her to not speak about the rape charges against Petty.
The attempted rape – for which he was convicted and served time – occurred in the mid-1990s. He was initially charged with first degree rape, which he denied, then pleaded guilty to attempted rape and spent four years behind bars.
The charges resurfaced last year when Petty was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender in California. He initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea earlier this month and is scheduled to be sentenced early next year.
He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, plus a lifetime of supervised release and hefty fine.
"I'm tired of being afraid," Hough told Adrienne Bailon and Garcelle Beauvais on Wednesday's emotional episode of The Real. "I feel like the actions that were taken in regards to this whole situation have put me in a different type of fear at my age now. And it was wrong. And I don't want to be afraid anymore, so the only way not to be afraid is to continue to speak up."
When asked whether she felt justice had been served following Petty's time spent in prison, Hough revealed she had never let herself believe she was a victim and was therefore unable to give the idea of justice much thought.
"I don't think I thought about justice, per se, because I was still blaming myself, and thought it was something that I did or didn't do," she said, tears streaming down her face. "So I don't think I thought about if I got justice. I just knew he did what he did, and he went to jail. I had to leave my family, I had to leave my home and I had to move away. I never really gave it much thought."
Hough went on to detail the lifelong trauma she's had to endure, which she says continues to this day "in so many ways."
"Hiding within myself, living and surviving through insecurities, using them to protect myself, thinking that if I don't look a certain way, I won't attract a certain type of attention," she explained, getting choked up. "I've been like that my whole life."
Minaj married Petty – her high school sweetheart – in October of 2019. A year later, she gave birth to their first child together, a boy whose name neither parent has revealed.
And while the rapper is reveling in all the blessings of being a first-time mom, her fame and chosen partner have dredged up a lot of pain and fear for Hough.
"I was so afraid of being found out," she recalled. "I was so afraid of being known as the person he violated, and I didn't want that. You know, it's Nicki Minaj."