'I don't think they'd understand.' 11 women on the secret they've never told their family.

In her new song Cancelled!, Taylor Swift declared "everyone's got bodies in the attic."

No, she isn't referring to literal bodies (I hope). The Life of A Showgirl singer is talking about secrets; the skeletons we bury deep in our closet and hope no one digs far enough to find them.

It's not strangers that we're keeping secrets from, it's our loved ones. Whether it's to keep the peace, protect the relationship, or to avoid judgement, there are many reasons we leave bodies in the attic.

We asked women to reveal the one thing they've never told their family. For some, it's a silly mistake or a choice they aren't ready to explain. For others, it's something heavier; so personal that it will stay buried forever.

Watch: Accepting your family's boundaries. Post continues after video.

From the funny to the heartbreaking, here are the secrets women have kept from their families:

"My family has no idea that I botched my own hair in Year 10," one woman shared. "I told [my mum] that my friend cut it at a sleepover as a prank, but it was me. She still doesn't like that friend all these years later. I don't know why I haven't told her."

Another woman hasn't told her family that she was the one who "accidentally dented [her] dad's car" when she was 19.

"I was reversing out of the driveway too fast. He was furious about the 'idiot who didn't leave a note'. He's mellowed now, so maybe I'll admit it one day. Or, maybe I'll let that one die with me."

A third woman got a tattoo in Bali while on her Schoolies trip.

"My dad is very anti-tattoo. I'll tell him one day. Maybe at my wedding, when he can't get mad."

When a fourth woman lost her mum's "special ring", she knew she could never tell her it was gone.

"My dad got her the ring when they started dating. It's very sentimental. My mum lent it to me and I lost it, so I found a similar one online. She hasn't noticed it's different yet, and I think telling her would just upset her too much."

Another woman has never told her parents that she dropped out of university for six months before re-enrolling.

"I was too anxious and too embarrassed to admit I'd failed a subject," she said. "My parents paid my rent at the time and I just didn't want to disappoint them. I don't know if I can bring myself to confess."

A sixth woman has never been open about her sexuality.

"I've never told my mum that I'm bisexual. I know she loves me, but she's from a generation that would make it weird. I'll tell her if I start dating a woman. Until then, it's just easier not to."

For years, a seventh woman listened to her parents criticise those who went to therapy. So when she started attending sessions herself, she told her folks she was going to Pilates.

"They think therapy means something is 'wrong' with you. I think it's something they got from their parents," she said. "At first it bothered me but, ironically, therapy has helped me be more compassionate towards them and [to see] how they are a product of their upbringing."

Another woman will never reveal the affair she had over a decade ago.

"It was brief and wrong and my marriage survived, but I've never told anyone. I think it would ruin the image that my family has of me, so I'll probably take it to the grave."

To "keep the peace" with her family, a ninth woman never shared the harsh reality of her separation from her husband.

"I've never told my family what really happened between my ex-husband and me during our separation and divorce; how mean he was to me, the cruel things he said to me, and that it wasn't a mutual choice," she said.

"I feel bad for not telling them, but emotional situations are always hard, and I wanted this to be easy for kids, it didn't need to be easy for me."

Saying it's "in the past now", the woman doubts she will share the secret as "revealing it wouldn't help anyone".

Another woman hasn't told her family that she had an abortion after her second child.

"I don't think they'd understand my reasons, and I've blocked it out now," she said. "It was a personal choice. My husband supported me either way, but still the choice was 100 per cent on me.

"I haven't told any friends either. I'd be more likely to tell a close friend later in life than my family. Perhaps I will share with my children at an appropriate time, but not my parents."

A final woman confessed that she had "never felt more alone" than during her breast cancer battle. But sharing her true feelings with her family would've broken their hearts.

"They would feel terrible," she said of her family. "They thought they did a good job, but being a single mum with a 92-year-old mum living with me, and children with [additional needs], I had no choice but to handle everything.

"If I had shown my true feelings, I don't think anyone would have coped."

Feature Image: Getty (Stock image for illustrative purposes only).

If you or anyone you know needs to speak with an expert, please contact your GP or in Australia, contact Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636), all of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7.