On July 22, 2017, Madelene Sagström wrote a post on Facebook where she told that she had been sexually exploited as a child.
"I am proud to be part of the Swedish campaign 'Not alone, never forgotten", she wrote in the post.
Now she's the face of the latest "Drive On" campaign from the LPGA.
Through her story, she wants to give hope to people who have been through the same things as her.
"This is my story"
She has published the video from the campaign on Instagram.
“All people are faced with challenges and trauma.
It is hard, deep and emotional stories that change who we are and how we look at ourselves.
This is my story ", she writes on Instagram.
She kept the secret for 16 years.
In the film, Sagström says that she tried to "sweep it under the rug".
- The biggest reason I did not tell anyone was the shame.
I thought I should have known better, she says in the video.
Sagström says that she used golf to get ahead in life, the sport "saved" her.
But she had a hard time managing her emotions on the golf course.
Robert Karlsson, her mentor and trainer, tried to get her to dig deeper.
- Then I started thinking about telling about everything, but thought it was not important, "I push it aside".
But I started thinking about it more and more, says Sagström.
CLIP: See Madelene Sagström's strong story about the abuse
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See Madelene Sagström's strong story about the abuse
"Burst into tears"
One day she chose to tell Robert Karlsson.
- He looked at me ... and I literally burst into tears, she says.
- It was so important to me, it was a huge step.
Robert Karlsson noticed how it changed her.
- It was a relief for her to talk about it.
It was a very strong emotion, even for me, he says.
Got a sporty lift
Sagström began to feel better - both on and off the field.
It was also a real sporting boost.
- He understood the pain I had carried with me for so many years.
After that I felt that "it does not matter what I will tell about myself in the future, I have already told the worst".
I felt so free, says Sagström.
- I had a good 2016, because I no longer hid.
Being able to share my story, tell my secret, because Robert opened all the doors for me.
I hovered on clouds, I flew forward - nothing could stop me right then.
Robert Karlsson:
- She had proved to herself that she had nothing to fear, nothing to be ashamed of or something she needed to hide from others, he says.
SVT Sport is looking for Madelene Sagström.
ARCHIVE: See SVT's report with Sagström from April 2020: "My main role is to entertain"
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See the report with Madelene Sagström