Singer Jake Zyrus revealed years of abuse experienced during childhood, detailing a pattern of assault by an uncle that began at age six.

Jake Zyrus, formerly known as Charice Pempengco, recounted in the memoir, I Am Jake, released this week, that the abuse began while living with family at grandmother’s house. Jake Zyrus recalled being called over by the uncle, who was drawing, and then being taken to the uncle’s room.

“The first time it happened, I was playing in the living room while he drew. He looked up from the sketches he was making and called me over. ‘Come here. I’ll draw you,’ he said,” shared Jake Zyrus.

“Even at that age, my instincts told me something bad was going to happen. But I had no choice but to follow him,” he added.

The memoir also described repeated incidents of sexual abuse, including unwanted touching and attempts at penetration. The singer recounted threats of death from the relative if the abuse was revealed.

“His grip was so tight on my small frame, and he always punctuated these attacks with the same threat: ‘If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you,’” Jake Zyrus wrote.

The singer also described a specific incident where the relative attempted penetration.

“The only reason he didn’t succeed was because it was physically impossible. I was a tiny six-year-old girl, and that could have killed me,” Jake Zyrus continued, also revealing that Raquel Pempengco, the singer’s mother, did not believe the account of abuse.