Comedian-host Ellen Degeneres' mother Betty says she regrets not believing her daughter when she confided in her about being sexually abused by her stepfather. DeGeneres recalled the abuse she experienced as a teenager in an episode of David Letterman's show, "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction", reports mirror.co.uk.

Betty has reacted to it. In an interview to NBC, she said: "I know now that one of the hardest things to do is to speak up after being sexually abused. I love my daughter, and I wish I had the capacity to listen to her when she told me what happened.