Mackenzie Phillips Addresses Dad's Alleged Rape / Incest Affair

 Content Warning: This article talks about abuse and incest. 

Mackenzie Phillips is opening up about the decade-long incestuous relationship she had with her dad, John Phillips, and why she's heading towards forgiveness.

"Dad was something else. And I get a lot of criticism, and a lot of trolling online, for having forgiveness in my heart. Forgiveness, because forgiving is for me, not for the other person. And forgiving doesn't mean I cosign or agree with what I'm forgiving him for."

She revealed the relationship began when she was 19 years old, when her father raped her. The relationship lasted 10 years, and ended when she fell pregnant and was unsure if her father was the baby's father. 

"It's very, very complicated. And yet, I am at peace."

She and sister Chynna agreed their late father was a complex figure. 

"So many different levels to who he was. Obviously he's an amazing songwriter and, you know I loved his laugh, and yet there was this whole other side to Dad that was, I mean, kind of, like a monster."

"Very, very dark, dark side."

"He was so dark, and you just didn't know who you were going to get. It was very unpredictable."

Mackenzie became sober, and revealed that she lost relationships with a lot of her family after coming forward about the relationship. Chynna stayed by her side.

"I want you to know," Chynna said, "that when I stood by you, I meant it with all my heart, I really did. And I believed you and I want you to know that I was proud of you for coming out even though it was painful for everybody."

In 2009, after she released her memoir, Mackenzie opened up about this part of her life. 

"I was a little girl who had this larger than life [father]. I adored my father, I waited for him over and over again. I was constantly trying to get his attention, and had this deep, visceral yearning for connection."

She added a yearning got twisted after being combined with drugs and alcohol. 

"Over time your perception of things as they should be, the world as it is, the rules of society, becomes warped and twisted."

"Of course I was old enough to know better, and clearly from the way I talk about it in the book I knew better. I can't explain this away. It happened."

"The implications, the reality of that, I had an abortion. And I never let him touch me again."