WASHINGTON — Speaking to her 3.8 million followers on Instagram, actress Melissa Benoist, famous for her role as 'Supergirl,' opened up about a very serious alleged experience she had with domestic violence.
In the emotional 14-minute video posted Wednesday, Benoist did not name the person who allegedly abused her, but did describe the individual as a male who "could be charming, funny, manipulative (and) devious."
Benoist did say that the abuse came in a previous relationship. She is currently married to "Supergirl" co-star Chris Wood.
In the video posted to Instagram, Benoist says she was "more worried about the furniture" when she was being abused than about the abuse itself, speaking about her state of mind at the time.
The actress says that the relationship affected her work, and described what seemed to be jealously coming from the partner she alleges was abusing her. Benoist says the individual didn't want her kissing "or even having flirtatious scenes with men" in projects she was working on.
Benoist fought back tears when describing moments when she says she was "pinned down and slapped repeatedly."
The hashtag #IStandWithMelissa has started to gain some traction on Twitter, and the creator of "Supergirl," Ali Adler, expressed support for Benoist on Twitter saying, "If it can happen to #SUPERGIRL it can happen to anyone."
"Supergirl" executive producer Sarah Schechter also posted a message of support for Benoist to Twitter and included a link and contact information for the organization Futures Without Violence, who describe themselves as a provider of programs that empower individuals to end violence against women and children around the world. You can reach out to Futures Without Violence at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), and follow them on Instagram at @futureswithoutviolence.
