9 Celebrities that Survived Domestic Violence

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Domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender. Even the beautiful stars of Hollywood are not immune to the possibility.

Abuse is a repetitive pattern of behaviors to maintain power and control over a partner. These behaviors can be physical, mental, sexual and emotional, with many of these forms overlapping at the same time. It’s not always easy to tell at the beginning of a relationship if it will become abusive. In fact, many abusive partners may seem perfect in the early stages. As the relationships progress, though, controlling behaviors may begin to emerge. It can be very scary and difficult for an individual to escape this type of abuse.

These nine Hollywood stars had to suffer from terrible domestic abuse. They are opening up about their stories and working to inspire others in similar situations to seek out help. Learn how these amazing celebrities broke the pattern of abuse and how they are working to help others today.

Halle Berry

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Halle Berry is proof that domestic violence effects more than just the couple involved. In 2010, the actress revealed the impact that her father’s abuse towards her mother had on her growing up. This resulted in Halle suffering from low self-esteem and choosing some terrible boyfriends later in life. She admitted that she once had a boyfriend who hit her so hard that he left her over 80 percent deaf in one ear. Halle now volunteers at the Jenesse Center, a domestic violence intervention program in Los Angeles. She spoke about the center, saying “the reason I say this organization is in my heart and soul is because I understand the good that it does and the lives that it changes and the impact is has on women and children in our community.”

Rihanna

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A police report from 2009 revealed a terrible abuse story between Rihanna and former boyfriend Chris Brown. The report stated Brown had slammed Rihanna into a window before punching her repeatedly in the face, arms and legs, making it one of the most shocking celebrity domestic violence incidents to happen in the public eye. She’s spoken out about it publicly multiple times since then and advocated for victims. Rihanna has been open about her mistakes of going back to Brown, saying she thought she could change his behavior. She spoke to Vanity Fair saying “A lot of women, a lot of young girls, are still going through it. A lot of young boys too. It’s not a subject to sweep under the rug, so I can’t just dismiss it like it wasn’t anything, or I don’t take it seriously.”

Tyler Perry

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Tyler Perry suffered from physical and emotional abuse at the hand of his own father, including an incident where his father brutally whipped him with a vacuum cord. Furthermore, Perry suffered sexual abuse from several adults that were present in his childhood. Perry bravely discussed his past in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying that during this time of his life he had attempted suicide. Decades later, Perry admits to still learning how to cope with his childhood and that he has come to terms with forgiving his father for his own mental health. "I think that's really important to be clear that just because you forgive somebody does not mean that you now want to be around them," Perry later said.

Charlize Theron

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Raised in South Africa, Charlize Theron lived with an abusive, alcoholic father who threatened to kill her and her mother on several occasions. In self-defense, Charlize’s mother shot and killed her father when Charlize was only 15. The actress has stayed relatively silent about the incident, but has taken action as an advocate for others of abuse. Charlize has opened a pair of rape crisis centers in her native country to help other women going through similar abuse. She has stated, however, how the event in her life has helped her to become a stronger actress. "There's definitely an acknowledgement on my part that I had an experience of, a very traumatic experience, an event, in my life and somehow it’s formed me."