On "Larry King Live," Marlee Matlin opens up about her sexual abuse as a child by a babysitter

From the first part of the "Larry King Live" interview. The full transcript is on the CNN Web site.

Deaf actress Marlee Matlin has captivated millions with her film roles over the years. And she's now giving a new voice to an important issue.

Actress Marlee Matlin appears on CNN's "Larry King Live" on April 13 to talk about her sexual abuse.

Monday night on "Larry King Live," the Academy Award winner opened up to guest host Joy Behar about the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. She says the abuse led to drug use. She also opened up about her volatile relationship with actor William Hurt.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity:

Guest host Joy Behar: [Your] book is called "I'll Scream Later." Marlee, what does it mean, "I'll Scream Later?"

Marlee Matlin (through her interpreter, Jack): It goes way back to when I was in rehab. ... I got nominated for the Academy Awards while I was in rehab. And Jack asked me over the phone: "What do you want to say?" The press wants an answer. ...

The counselors were looking at me. I couldn't say anything. So I said, "I'll scream later." ...

Behar: This book tells a lot.

Matlin: It tells a lot more than I anticipated I would. ... After I did "Dancing With the Stars," so many e-mails came, so many fan letters came saying how inspiring I was. And they saw me on TV dancing and they thought: Well, a deaf person can dance. Good for you. Wow! She can't hear the music. She can dance. Wow!

And that's fine. But I wanted to pass along the message that there was much more to me than that.

Behar: You were [molested] at age 11 by a 16-year-old female baby sitter?

Matlin: Unfortunately, yes.

Behar: How did that impact your life?

Matlin: I masked it, and I covered it up. And I masked it with drugs. And I masked it at a very early age with drugs. ... I never told anyone. I never told my parents. And yet, I never forgot it.