Matthew Sandusky, the adopted son of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, is breaking his silence for the first time since his father's 2012 conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse, sitting down with Oprah to tell his story.
On Thursday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET on OWN, Matthew shares his in-depth personal account of the grooming and manipulation he faced as a child in the Sandusky home.
"At bedtime, his ritual began," Matthew says in the above video.
During the interview, the now-married father explains the disturbing ritual, responds to his adoptive mother's accusations about him and discusses why he is choosing to speak out now.
Matthew had remained silent for years, even originally testifying on his adoptive father's behalf in front of a grand jury. But just two days into Jerry Sandusky's criminal trial, Matthew came forward and told police that he too had been sexually abused by Sandusky, adding to the testimonies of 10 other abuse victims during the trial. After being found guilty, the former assistant college football coach was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.
Since Sandusky's arrest and sentencing, dozens of men have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse, some claims dating back to the 1970s. Penn State University and a third-party law firm also found enough merit and credibility to award a financial settlement to 26 of Jerry’s victims, including Matthew.
Matthew Sandusky's interview with Oprah airs on "Oprah Prime" on Thursday, July 17, at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.
