American actor and singer Melissa Benoist received an overwhelming amount of love and support from her fellow friends, co-stars and fans online, after she took to Instagram to share her domestic violence survival story.
The 31-year-old actor wrote, "So I don't normally do things like this but I've written something that I want to share."
The 'Supergirl' actor detailed the domestic violence she experienced in a previous relationship. "I'm gonna read it out loud, and I'm quite nervous so bear with me."
She 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, let alone be broadcasting into the ether."
"I developed an astonishing poker face. Inwardly I was the ugliest version of myself I had ever known. I became unreliable, unprofessional, sometimes unreachable," said the actor.
"There were stretches of weeks where I wouldn't get out of bed for more than two hours a day. If you met me at this time, I was most likely friendly, just to the point of getting close and aloof to the point of getting cold," she added.
After her sharing of the incident online with her fans and followers, support for the actor came pouring in.
The co-creator of The CW show, Ali Adler, wrote on Twitter, "If it can happen to #SUPERGIRL it can happen to anyone. So proud of @MelissaBenoist for speaking about her experience. #IPV."
Actor Rachel Zegler tweeted in support of the actor, writing "I adore you, Melissa Benoist. you are strong and beautiful and loved."
In the video, Benoist continued to describe her abuser and what she experienced. Although she did not name her abuser, she shared that he was her partner for quite some time and that he was younger than her.
Further, Benoist shared in her video that "breaking the cycle was the most rewarding, empowering choice" she ever made, and the experience taught her what real love is and isn't and the amount of strength that she carries within herself.
While concluding, the actor said, "I feel an enduring strength," she continued. "I will be healing from this for the rest of my life."
( With inputs from ANI )