Melissa Benoist's ex-husband Blake Jenner apologizes for domestic violence, says she was abused
Blake Jenner is breaking his silence nearly a year after his ex-wife, fellow "Glee" alum Melissa Benoist, said she survived domestic violence.
Blake Jenner is opening up about his past relationship with ex-wife Melissa Benoist — a marriage that he claims was "toxic" and riddled with abuse by both spouses.
In a lengthy Instagram post on Thursday, the Glee actor apologized to Benoist for an "injury" that he "inflicted" - including emotional, mental and physical pain - during the time he made his own accusations about Supergirl Were staying. Actress.
On Thursday, Jenner shared a lengthy statement on Instagram detailing a past marriage of his that he says was "rooted in co-dependency, which had dire consequences." Benoist and Jenner married in 2015 and Benoist filed for divorce in December 2016.
A representative for Benoist did not immediately respond to the reporter's request for comment.
"In the last eleven months, I've been thinking about how to make a personal situation public at the end of 2019. During that time, I reflected a period in my life that I had previously overcome with shame and fear. Was kept away., But I know that this is something that needs to be addressed not only publicly, but also privately, directly affected and privately with myself, "Jenner began the post.
Though Jenner did not name Benoist directly in his statement, he began his post saying he wants to "address a personal situation made public in late-2019." In November 2019, Benoist posted a nearly 15-minute Instagram video in which she described being physically abused by a former partner.
In his statement, Jenner admitted to physically hurting a past partner.
“I take full responsibility and accountability for the hurt that I inflicted during my relationship with my past partner — emotionally, mentally and yes, physically,” he wrote, recalling one particular argument that escalated into violence.
He said as a 20-year-old he did not realize that "as great as the love that was shared between us, the shared brokenness that stemmed from our childhoods proved to be greater."
"In a way, I think for the both of us, our marriage was a potential for redemption of sorts," he continued. "It was a relationship with a foundation rooted in co-dependency, which had dire consequences."
"In a moment of frustration, while I was standing in the hallway and she was in our bedroom, I threw my phone aimlessly and it hit my former partner in her face," he wrote. "I froze in a state of shock and horror as my then-partner screamed in anguish, her eye immediately swollen shut from the impact of the phone. It’s a moment that I will regret for the rest of my life."
The former couple met while playing love interests on Ryan Murphy's musical TV series Glee in 2012. (Jenner later guest-starred on two episodes of CW’s Supergirl in 2016.) They wed in spring 2015 after getting engaged in July 2013.
After less than two years of marriage, Benoist filed for divorce at the end of 2016 citing irreconcilable differences. It was finalized in December 2017.
Though he didn't mention Benoist, 32, by name in his Instagram post, Jenner, 28, did confirm a similar physical abuse allegation made by his ex-wife in November 2019.
Last fall, the actress revealed in a lengthy, emotional video on Instagram that she was a survivor of domestic violence after enduring months of abuse from a younger romantic partner.
The individual, whom she did not identify by name, allegedly threw an iPhone at her face, causing her to suffer major injuries. "The impact tore my iris, nearly ruptured my eyeball, lacerated my skin and broke my nose," Benoist recalled. "My left eye swelled shut. I had a fat lip … Something inside of me broke, this was too far."
After lying to the nurses about her injuries at the hospital, Benoist said she confided in a friend who asked about her partner’s aggressive behaviors — and finally made the difficult decision to leave him.
In his statement, Jenner said he takes "full responsibility and accountability for the hurt that I inflicted during my relationship with my past partner — emotionally, mentally and yes, physically" before detailing the moment he threw a phone.
"Two years prior to the end of our relationship, there was a time where my past partner and I were in an argument that escalated, and in a moment of frustration, while I was standing in the hallway and she was in our bedroom, I threw my phone aimlessly and it hit my former partner in her face. I froze in a state of shock and horror as my then-partner screamed in anguish, her eye immediately swollen shut from the impact of the phone," Jenner admitted.
"I was discouraged from and threatened not to develop relationships with and take photos with female co-stars at professional events," he continued. "Threats and derogatory comments were made regarding female colleagues I had worked or was working with. I was made to feel guilty for working as I received calls from my former partner while I was away, threatening to self-harm out of depression and a deep-seated fear of abandonment."
Describing the incident, Jenner said that this is a moment I will regret all my life. She sat there weeping and I can only imagine the pain, fear and shame she felt in that moment Must have done.
"If I could do anything to take it back, I would. However, as hard as it has been to come to terms with it and as hard as it is for me to even describe that moment in detail now, whatever the intention may have been, I am responsible for the pain that I caused her in that moment and beyond. And it is something I am still working on forgiving myself for," wrote the actor.
Jenner alleged that mental, emotional and physical abuse was instigated from both ends and that he and Benoist together sought therapy to help resolve their issues.
He wrote, I am with you as a victim myself. I repent for the abuse I had shown myself as an aggressor, and vowed to back down from losing what I am ever again.In her 2019 video, Benoist did not name her abs, but told her that she had met someone while she was newly married. She said that the abuse she had caused her to do things she is not proud of.
"I changed, and I'm not proud of how I changed," she said. "I became a person that I never could have imagined lurked inside of me, because I was livid at what was happening and the fact that I was allowing it to out of fear of failure. I experienced firsthand that violence begets violence. I started fighting back, because rage is contagious."
The actress said she started turning down work proposals and auditions because her now ex voiced concern over her where she kissed or flirted with the on-screen co-star. She said that at first her controlled remarks were "easy to make excuses", as she worried about her feelings.
"In retrospect, I see that each red flag followed a very clear path on the way to things becoming violent," she said. "Because violence is so often proceeded by mental, emotional or psychological abuse, which are all very sneaky things."
Once the alleged physical abuse began, Benoist added, she didn't speak out "for shame, for fear of future attacks, for reluctance to actually admit any of it was happening."
She listed details of abuse, including being "pinned down and slapped repeatedly, punched so hard I felt the wind go out of me, dragged by my hair across pavement, head-butted, pinched until my skin broke, slammed against he wall so hard the drywall broke, choked."
Some people said that during this time his ex would feel the pain he had caused and apologize profusely for not apologizing. Not a way to resolve issues.
I knew how he was treating me, he was wrong, but I felt that if I suffer from his behavior, he would have to suffer the consequences.Benoist said that she knew she needed to get out of the relationship, but felt that she had upset herself so much that she didnt think she had any. But he said that a friend visited him soon and suspected that something was going on. He asked Benoist if he was a victim of domestic violence.
"I can't describe the amount of relief and solace I felt," Benoist said. "She held me and said, 'You know what you have to do now, don't you?'""I had to get out," she continued. "And I took careful steps to leave him as quickly as our relationship has sped into my life. Leaving was not a walk in the park. It is not an event, it's a process. I felt complicated feelings of guilt for leaving someone I had protected for so long and, yes, mournful feelings of leaving something that was so familiar."
If you are a victim of domestic violence, The National Domestic Violence Hotline allows you to speak confidentially to trained lawyers online or by phone (800-799-7233), who advise them that they believe their online activity Being watched by them. abuser. They can help survivors develop a plan to get protection for themselves and their children.
