Rose Mcgowan has opened up about the worst aspects of her upbringing as a member of a cult, revealing a wart on her hand was hacked off because imperfections were banned by the faith's leaders.

The star's parents were part of the Children of God cult when the Charmed star was growing up and she was whisked off to Rome, where her dad ran the Italian sect.

Rose McGowan was taught to be subservient as a female, and has now revealed a shocking moment from her time in the group.

She says, "You weren't allowed to have imperfections. I had a little wart on my thumb, and I remember walking down this hallway - a door opened and some adult grabbed me and just cut it off with a razor blade and stuck me back out in the hallway with it still bleeding. At a very early age I decided I did not want to be like those women. They were basically there to serve the men sexually - you were allowed to have more than one wife."

Rose McGowan's father decided to flee with his family when the church began to support sexual relationships between adults and children, and the star will never forget the night the cult elders tried to find them in a nearby safe-house.

She adds, "I remember a man trying to break in with a hammer. As strong as I like to think I've always been, I'm sure I could have been broken. I know I got out by the skin of my teeth."

The family left Italy and settled in a small town in Oregon.