Like so many women who experience the traumatic experience of being raped, Madonna, the Queen of Pop, who’s been known to speak out just about everything from child labor policies in Africa to her own personal sex life, kept quiet.

The 56-year-old star just revealed in an interview on “The Howard Stern Show” that she did not report the sexual assaults for the same reason so many other women, who have been assaulted, choose to keep quiet. The Huffington Post quoted her as saying: “You’ve already been violated,” she said. “It’s just not worth it. It’s too much humiliation.” The shame and negative attention kept her from going forward to the authorities at that young age and it is only now, that she feels comfortable releasing this information, perhaps to bring about greater awareness on the subject, as it has been a recent topic of discussion in the mainstream media.

In an October 2013 essay in Harper’s Bazaar, the world-renowned singer first opened up about the experience, sharing, “New York wasn’t everything I thought it would be. It did not welcome me with open arms.” She goes on to say, “The first year, I was held up at gunpoint. Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back, and had my apartment broken into three times.”

It is no wonder the star, who now seeks intense privacy from the paparazzi, has such an extensive line of security in her daily life. It has been known that in her New York City apartment, she maintains constant security, including drivers and bodyguards, to protect her, along with a car at the ready, should she need to vacate the premises.

In her early days in New York, the singer describes herself as being incredibly friendly, to her detriment. She remembers her demeanor in People as being one of: “Hi, I’m from Michigan. I trust(ed) everybody.”

As she promotes her new album Rebel Heart, Madonna seeks to bring awareness and share her voice on this touching issue.

In the wake of Bill Cosby’s scandal and the astounding number of women who have come forward, it is becoming a case of national concern to report these types of violent crimes. At the end of the day, just two out of every 100 people who commit rape will ever receive jail time.

It’s time to start paying attention to these women and giving them a voice, just as Madonna has. Women deserve to be heard.