During the October 8 episode of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, reality star Alexia Umansky opened up about a traumatic experience from her past. The 30-year-old disclosed for the first time that she had been assaulted by a trusted friend seven years prior, sharing the deeply personal revelation with her father and fellow contestant, Mauricio Umansky, on screen.
A Harrowing Confession During Interrogation
The disclosure took place during an intense interrogation exercise on day three of the grueling competition series. Speaking with Directing Staff members Rodolfo “Rudy” Reyes and Jason “Foxy” Fox, Alexia explained that she wanted to demonstrate true courage after enduring a deeply painful chapter in her life.
“Seven years ago, I was on a trip with some friends, and I was with people I trust,” Alexia recounted to the staff. “I was put to bed because I had a little too much to drink. And I woke up and I could tell something had happened.”
She added that she lacked the physical power or consciousness to say no during the incident. Describing feelings of complete objectification, Alexia admitted she carried immense pain and anger for years. She noted that at the one-year mark following the event, she consciously chose to push the trauma away in order to move forward, though she acknowledged that the memory still hurts.
Keeping the Trauma From Her Family
In a separate confessional during the episode, Alexia explained why she kept the incident hidden from her family-including her mother, Kyle Richards, and her sisters-for seven years.
“I was taken advantage of. My family-to this day-does not know,” she said. “When you bring other people into it, it just becomes more of a conversation. And maybe a conversation is what I needed. But I just wasn’t ready.”
The directing staff encouraged Alexia to channel her lingering pain and anger into a positive force to help her push through the extreme physical and mental hurdles of the military-style training camp.
Sharing the Truth With Mauricio Umansky
Following her check-in with the staff, Alexia returned to the barracks and gathered her fellow recruits, including her 56-year-old father, Mauricio. Fighting back tears, she delivered the unexpected news to the group.
“You don’t know [this]. I was taken advantage of by a friend,” Alexia told her father. “You guys not knowing is not anything I ever wanted you to know, but I kind of wanted to protect you guys from [it].”
Mauricio expressed immediate support, telling his daughter that she never should have felt the burden of protecting her family from her own trauma. He responded with love, while other campmates-such as Candace Cameron Bure and Maxim Naumov-offered words of solidarity and praise for her bravery.
Alexia assured her father and the rest of the recruits that she has traveled a long road toward recovery. “I have definitely healed,” she said. “I’ve come a long way since then.”
Where to Watch Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test Season 5 airs new episodes on Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET on FOX, offering viewers a look at the intense physical challenges and raw personal moments experienced by the celebrity cast in the Malaysian jungle.
If you or someone you know has been affected by , confidential help is available. You can contact the National Hotline 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org.
