Abigail Breslin spoke about an abusive relationship from her past as a way to raise awareness about domestic violence. The Little Miss Sunshine actress revealed on her Instagram page that she is a survivor of domestic abuse. Before sharing several slides about her story, she posted a trigger warning for her followers. “I want to put a massive TRIGGER WARNING before this post as it deals with SA/DV-related content. !!!!!!!,” she wrote before recounting her painful experience. “As a DV survivor, I felt compelled to write a little bit about my story. I was in a very abusive relationship for close to 2 years,” Breslin recalled.
She continued, “I was so in love. Unfortunately, my abuser took advantage of my innocence and naiveté, and the relationship subsequently became violent. I was beaten on a regular basis, locked into rooms, and forced to pretend everything was ok and normal while dealing with intense injuries….. injuries most people didn’t even see.” Breslin explained how she would deal with bruises: “I would use concealer and caked-on foundation to hide any and all bruises because, in some way, I still cared for this person.” In addition to physical violence, the Zombieland actress was insulted by her abuser. “The physical injuries were also accompanied by a plethora of put-downs, shaming, and harsh verbal abuse,” she writes. “I felt ugly and hated. I felt like I deserved less than dirt. I was certain, there must be something inherently WRONG with ME.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Breslin added, “I was a b—, a problem, stupid, useless, ridiculous, overly sensitive, unreasonable, and unlovable. These 2 years were the loneliest I have ever felt. I am beyond thankful for the support of my family and friends who played an instrumental and invaluable role in helping me leave this horrible situation. I will forever be indebted to those closest to me for them not only assisting me but BELIEVING me.” Breslin then shared that things have changed for the better and is no longer involved with this individual.
“I now am in a wonderful, healthy, happy, and amazing relationship with my fiancé. My C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder) is much better than it was in the first 2-3 years after my abusive relationship,” she said. However, Breslin is still in the process of finding peace. “I still have moments. I still occasionally have nightmares, and certain things still do trigger me. I am still healing,” she admitted.
Ultimately, the Scream Queens star expressed hope for the future. “I hope sharing a bit more about my story at least helps some people feel a little bit less alone,” she encouraged those in an abusive relationship, saying they “CAN get out of it. I know it seems impossible and terrifying, but you have survived so much and you CAN survive leaving if you have the right tools and support.” Breslin gave her followers a 24-hour helpline phone number as a tool that might assist them in times of need. If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) has a 24-hour helpline at 1-800-799-7233) or go to ncadv.org.
