bdmetronews Desk ॥ Supergirl star Melissa Benoist revealed she is a victim of domestic violence in a new video.
“So I don’t normally do things like this but I’ve written something that I want to share,” the 31-year-old actress said in a 14-minute video posted to Instagram Wednesday. Taking a deep breath Benoist said, “I am a survivor of domestic violence, or IPV, intimate partner violence, which is something I never in my life expected I would say…”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “intimate partner violence” (also known as domestic violence) involves physical and sexual violence, stalking or psychological manipulation among couples. CDC statistics say that 20 percent of women and 10 percent of men experience some form of abuse during their lifetimes and that in adolescence, it’s referred to as “teen dating violence.”
Benoist described her abuser as a “charming, funny, manipulative, devious” young man who made her feel special. However, when the relationship got romantic, “there was a zero to 60 catapult.”
“There was a lot of jealousy, he was snooping on devices, he was angry when I spoke to another man,” said the actress. “… Work in general was a touchy subject. He didn’t want me ever kissing or even having flirtatious scenes with men, which was very hard for me to avoid, so I began turning down auditions, job offers, test deals and friendships, because I didn’t want to hurt him.”
Concerned for her partner’s feelings, Benoist didn’t initially categorize his behavior as abuse.
