On Monday, comedian Beth Stelling uploaded a photo that was different from her usual smiling highlights with friends and family.
This photo showed healing bruises scattered across her legs and arm, and her story about the violence she experienced over the course of an old relationship.
Drawing attention to something that is "not an uncommon issue," Stelling writes about the difficulties she faces when she initially broke up with her ex-boyfriend in the summer, and afterwards. She details the shame and internal conflicts that came with the decision and what she is feeling now.
"After being verbally, physically abused and raped, I dated him for two more months. It’s not simple," she writes.
Her original post broke off because she exceeded the word count, so Stelling continued in another post.
According to the United Nations, one in three women worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence, and it is usually inflicted by an intimate partner.
And it's not uncommon for women in abusive relationships to stay.
"It's not only my story"
Stelling has been on the rise this past year having taped a Comedy Central half-hour special and released a stand-up album, Simply the Beth. Her ex is someone who is also involved in comedy as well, which is a reason Stelling says she felt pressure to remain silent about the abuse "because everyone knows who you're talking about."
But since posting the images, Stelling has received praise and support on Twitter from other entertainers including Patton Oswalt and Questlove.
At the end of her post, she writes that she has resolved to introduce this part of her life into her stand up routines.
" ... Now I'm allowing this to be part of my story," she writes, "It's not my only story, so please don't let it be."
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