Shauna Rae has opened up about the challenges she faces dating as a woman who looks like a child.

During a conversation on an episode of The Unplanned Podcast, Rae, 25, shared the troubles she’s faced in her love life. Beyond her past relationship struggles, Rae has also spoken out about the challenges she faces due to her unique physical appearance.

Standing at just 3 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 50 pounds, she has shared how she often encounters individuals with inappropriate intentions. She first gained public attention in 2022 through her TLC show I Am Shauna Rae, which chronicles her journey navigating adulthood after a childhood illness affected her growth.

Rae has candidly acknowledged that many ‘creeps’ are drawn to her because of her appearance.

“People don’t understand that I’m an adult,” she stated.

In interviews, she has expressed frustration over being perceived as a child, receiving kids’ menus and crayons at restaurants, and struggling to be taken seriously in public spaces.

During the podcast, Rae also spoke about a difficult chapter in her life, revealing that she was once in an abusive relationship during her late teenage years.

She candidly discussed a past relationship with an abusive ex she dated when she was ’17, 18.’ Although she did not reveal the identity of her former partner, she shared painful details about the experience.

The topic emerged as Rae discussed the personal boundaries she maintains in relationships, including a firm stance against: “cheating, physical violence, even if it’s just like you get mad and you shove me.”

Podcast host Matt Howard inquired whether she had ever experienced such behavior firsthand.

Rae responded: “Oh yeah. I was in a very abusive relationship.”

At the time, Rae explained, she felt ‘very used to being in abusive situations because I’ve been neglected a lot by the public’ and admitted that she ‘dated the wrong dude.’ She disclosed that her parents discovered the full extent of the situation on the day she broke up with her ex, learning that ‘he was a horrible person.’ The turning point for her came when he began sending her ‘threats on text,’ which solidified her decision to leave.

Rae now advises others to seek help early if they find themselves in a similar situation: “Don’t let people get cut off from you. Don’t let them tell you you’re less than,” she urged.

“Once you start hearing anything that is somewhat not uplifting you – because a relationship should make you a better version of yourself – if it’s not doing that, then you should really walk away.”

She further emphasized, “But if it starts to get to the point where the other person is being emotionally, physically, in any way scaring you, you start talking to someone and you start learning to walk away.”

Rae also candidly spoke about the ‘predators’ who may want to date her.

“It’s very easy to be prey in this world as a tiny little girl,” she shared. “Any guy that’s interested in you, any person that’s interested in you, you have to read into them, because there’s a chance that it’s about your size.”

Growing up with this mindset made dating a daunting prospect. She recalls her early experiences, saying: “I was scared to date. I was scared to flirt with anyone. I was scared to even be asked out.”

When a boy approached her in the cafeteria, she immediately questioned his intentions: “I was like, are you a predator? I can’t say yes. I can’t say yes.”

Her parents’ advice on romantic relationships, however, revolved around a deeper, more meaningful connection.

“When they finally came to having the conversation, they were like, look, people, when it comes to romantic things, are going to potentially view you differently. But what you want to look for is building a friendship, building a base.”

“At the end of the day, it’s not about looks. You’re gonna get old. You’re gonna get ugly. You’re gonna get grouchy.”

Her parents concluded with a powerful message: “You wanna find someone who you can build a base, bond with, and you’re probably gonna end up with someone who was your friend for a really, really long time. And then they finally decided that they like you. And that’s gonna be your situation.”