Melissa Benoist presently holds the title of portraying Arrowverse’s strongest heroes. Her role as CW’s Supergirl radiates female empowerment, and now, the actress took her position a step further. Benoist recently shared her experience with domestic violence, acting as inspiration for other women to speak out as well. 

Melissa Benoist Reveals Her History With Domestic Abuse

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Melissa Benoist plays Supergirl/Kara Dancer in CW’s Supergirl since 2015

Benoist shared a heart touching video on her Instagram’s IGTV on Wednesday, talking about her experience as a survivor of domestic violence. She reflected on the physical, psychological and emotional aftereffects of the abuse, and how she dealt with the situation. She revealed being on a “long and winding road of healing and reconciliation” at the moment. Melissa Benoist received overwhelming support as a response from her fans and co-starts on social media, appreciating her bravery and acknowledging her difficulties. The hashtag #IStandWithMelissa grew to be one of the most trending topics on Twitter that day. Several co-stars voiced their support, one of them Chris Wood – who is also Benoist’s former co-star from Supergirl and also her real-life husband. Wood tweeted a Happy Thanksgiving, and added that “I’m going to kiss my wife and hold her tenderly. All day. And every day. How do YOU show love? #IStandWithMelissa” 

 

Melissa Benoist’s Video On Instagram

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Her video received tons of support from her fans and co-stars alike, praising her for speaking up about it

Melissa Benoist’s video, titled “Life Isn’t Always What It Seems,” recollects her previous relationship with her abuser. She revealed how it grew from attention and love to undeniable emotional and physical abuse. Her video doesn’t explicitly state her abuser by name. However, worried fans have already started making a timeline for her abusive relationship. One specific moment that stood out was her appearance on Jimmy Fallon in 2016, where she confessed a similar incident taking place due to her “clumsiness.” 

 

Melissa Benoist Concludes With Heartfelt Words

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Benoist hopes that her video encourages more victims to come forward and speak out against domestic violence

“I choose to love, and I don’t choose to minimize my life out of fear”. Melissa Benoist expressed in her video, and continued. “I choose to love myself, to know that love does not include violence and to let victims know that there is a way out in which you will be protected. If you are enduring what I went through and you see this maybe you will find this tiny straw that will break the camel’s back. At least you might begin to think of your freedom in which case I am here. I am with you and you can and deserve to live a violence-free life.”

Supergirl Season 5 Comic-Con Trailer (HD)

Source: BBC, Comicbook

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