She Went Through Something Horrific
Although Cassin exposed Crawford to legendary performers like ballet dancer Anna Pavlova because of his career, she also experienced much darker things. Even though she believed Cassin was her biological father for most of her childhood, he started sexually abusing her when she was just 11 years old. Unfortunately, she couldn’t tell anyone and kept the secret for most of her life.
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Cassin continued to abuse Crawford until she was sent to St. Agnes Academy, a Catholic school for girls. However, when her mother and Cassin separated, Crawford remained at the school as a “work student.” She spent most of her time cooking and cleaning instead of studying. It was a devastating time in her life, but she still dreamed of becoming a star.