Halle Berry still dealing with the effects of domestic abuse
By Zukiswa ZimelaNovember 6, 2015
The recently divorced Oscar Award-winning actress has opened up about how she is still dealing with the effects of having been in abusive relationships “It seems like I’ve overcome it, but I really haven’t. In the quiet of my mind, I still struggle. So, while I’m helping these women, I’m helping myself through it, too. And that’s largely why I’m here,” Halle Berry said at the Imagine VIP cocktail party to benefit the Jenesse Center, a US domestic violence prevention and intervention organisation.
The Huffington Post reports that the star also spoke about the helplessness she felt when witnessing her mother and older sister being beaten by her father.
Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez split
This is not the first time the actress has spoken about her experiences of domestic abuse.
“I devalued myself and thought I wasn’t worth it. I chose partners that mimicked my father. It was only when I was in an abusive relationship and blood squirted on the ceiling of my apartment and I lost 80% of my hearing in my ear that I realised, I have to break the cycle,” the star said at The Mayors Fund Benefit in 2011.
Why women stay in abusive relationships
Berry has been in the news recently following her divorce from Olivier Martinez. This is Berry’s third divorce, having previously been married to baseball player David Justice (1993-1997) and R&B singer-songwriter Eric Benet (2001-2005).
The Monster’s Ball star is also embroiled in a custody battle with Gabriel Aubry, the father of her seven-year-old daughter, Nahla. The actress is currently paying the Canadian model $16 000 a month to care for their daughter and would reportedly like it reduced to approximately $3 800 per month.
Berry says helping other women deal with the difficult issue of abuse is one of her most important life goals.
Sources: The Huffington Post, The Urban Daily
