Irish actor Gabriel Byrne was sexually abused and viciously beaten during his training to become a Catholic priest. The In Treatment star joined the Irish Christian Brothers as an 11-year-old altar boy, and undertook his seminary to become a priest for over five years.

However, the 59 year old reveals his days training to become a member of the clergy were tarnished by sexual molestations and classroom beatings.

In an interview with Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne, he reveals, "Unfortunately, I experienced some sexual abuse. It was a known and admitted fact of life amongst us that there was this particular man, and you didn't want to be left in the dressing room with him. There were certain boundaries, sexual boundaries, that were crossed."

"It didn't go on over a prolonged period but it happened at a very, very vulnerable moment. I feared being beaten, and I was beaten very regularly. It did affect my sense of myself."

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