A new documentary film about Whitney Houston’s life, will be releasing in theaters on July 6 (2018), and Whitney’s family members and friends dropped very sensitive bombshells in it. Their revelations offer a much deeper insight into the beloved singer’s struggles that plagued her career.

Family Reveals Whitney Was Sexually Abused

The documentary,”Whitney,” was given consent by Whitney’s family and several of them were interviewed in the film, including her mother, Cissy Houston; sister-in-law, Pat Houston; brother, Gary Houston; as well as ex-husband, Bobby Brown. In the doc,’ it was revealed that Whitney was sexually abused by her famous female cousin, who was also the niece of Whitney’s mother, Cissy:

Via DailyMail- Mary Jones, Whitney’s aunt [and assistant] who found her body, claims Whitney had told her she had been sexually abused by Dee Dee Warwick – sister of singer Dionne [Warwick] – between the ages of seven and nine. She recalls Whitney saying: ‘Mary, I was [abused] too. It was a woman.’ Asked who it was, she said Miss Houston replied: ‘It was Dee Dee Warwick.’

Her half-brother Gary Garland-Houston corroborated the account and said he was also sexually assaulted by the younger sister of soul legend Dionne Warwick. […]

But Whitney never told her mother Cissy Houston about the alleged abuse because she “was ashamed,” according to her aunt. And a relative said Cissy would have attacked Dee Dee.

Dee Dee Warwick and her aunt, Cissy Houston, were members of the girl group, The Drinkard Singers, back in the day. The group released gospel albums and were background singers for many known artists, including Elvis Presley and Cissy’s niece, Dionne Warwick (Dee-Dee’s sister).

Whitney’s aunt, Mary, also believes the sexual abuse was a contributing factor into decisions Whitney later made in her love life…

Via DM: Mary claimed the abuse made Whitney “question her sexual preference” – prompting her to demonstrate that she was heterosexual by marrying Bobby Brown.

Whitney Later Grew Close To Her Sexual Abuser?

The film sheds light on Whitney’s personal struggles and it also presents her long rumored bisexual relationship with best friend, Robyn Crawford, as fact. Ironically, Dee Dee Warwick and Whitney grew closer later in life and it was suggested in the film, that their similar struggles to hide their sexuality is what bonded them:

Via DailyMail- One source close to the Warwick family said: “Dee Dee was openly lesbian in the music industry. Not necessarily in public, but I don’t think that was a secret within the music industry. … Whitney felt closer to Dee Dee by virtue of them sharing a similar orientation. It is interesting that there is that connection.”

Dionne Warwick’s sister, Dee Dee, passed away in 2008, at age 63 and she also struggled with drug addiction throughout her life.

Director: Family Struggled To Tell All

The film’s Oscar Award winning director, Kevin MacDonald, admitted, in an interview with Deadline, that prior to filming, he had no clue the Houston family would drop such huge, yet delicate revelations.

Kevin MacDonald: I interviewed Pat Houston and Gary Houston. … [Gary] told me that he was abused by a woman in the family, and Pat Houston told me that, yes, Whitney had said to her, “This is what happened.” […] Then I [interviewed] Mary Jones … and she told me Whitney’s point of view on this, and what Whitney had told her in detail, and how important she felt it was for understanding Whitney, but how scared everyone was to talk about it.

Hopefully, Whitney’s struggles and triumphs will ultimately help others who have gone through similar situations.