Why Amy Schumer Wanted to Write About Her Own Sexual Assault in New Book

Comedian Amy Schumer visited the Stern Show on Tuesday morning. While her appearance was filled with the usual laughs from her, Howard, and Robin, the interview also delved into why Amy talked about being sexually assaulted in her new book, “The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo.”

“It’s important, I think, to write about that. I think it’s good for men to read, too. To be like, ‘Oh that’s not cool if I do that,'” Amy said of the serious subject matter. She went on to explain how her first time having sex happened after her then-boyfriend violated her while she was sleeping.

“My virginity was taken from me and it was not in a cool way,” Amy said. “He knew that I didn’t know he was inside of me. And then I got angry afterward. It messed me up. My trust issues are terrible.”

Amy has discussed the incident before in her stand-up act, referring to it as a “grape”: a combination of the words “gray area” and “rape.” She didn’t do that because there is any gray area over whether or not she was in fact raped, but because of how complicated her situation was after the rape occurred.

“It’s not like, well, I’m going to the precinct and you’re gonna be serving time. It’s more complicated than that, unfortunately,” Amy told Howard, adding that she did not want to press charges against her offender and even felt worried for him.

“It’s not this perfect rape,” she continued. “People…they want you to have been raped perfectly and they want you to be a perfect victim.”

Amy explained to Howard how she’s received criticism from both men and women alike who question whether she was indeed raped.

“It makes victims really not want to speak up,” Amy said, adding that each time she hears another victim of rape tell their story it makes her feel less alone. She’s hoping her story has the same effect on those who read it.

“I’m trying to first of all just speak out,” Amy said. “I hope it stops it from happening to maybe even one person.”

Amy Loves Her Current Boyfriend (and His Parents)

Howard also spoke with Amy about her current boyfriend and whether or not she’s in love.

Her response: “Hell yeah!”

Amy revealed they live together, they have sex daily but do not use protection, and that she enjoys the smell of his semen.

Then she remembered that his Midwestern parents might be listening. “I hope his parents don’t listen to this, oh my God,” she said. “His parents are the sweetest people. His mom always seems like she was just called down as a contestant on ‘Price Is Right.'”

Howard wondered if Amy and Ben have discussed settling down and having kids together.

“We’ve talked about that we don’t want to talk about it for two years,” Amy told Howard, explaining that if the two of them were to have a baby, they’d then have to take care of it.

“I don’t even have a plant! I’m not going to water that,” Amy said.

“The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo” is now available wherever books are sold. For tour and ticket information, go to amyschumer.com.