It's hard to come clean about domestic abuse.
Especially when even the police will find reasons to write around the topic.
Brazilian social media star Melissa Gentz found this out when her boyfriend was written up as being "argumentative, jealous" in a police report, rather than "violent" and "abusive."
But she made a brave move and stood up anyway.
22 year old Gentz and her (now ex) boyfriend, 25 year old Erick Bretz, got into a fight on September 23rd that resulted in Gentz being badly beaten.
After Gentz posted the above photo, Bretz approached her saying it was too revealing:
"He told me that women with boyfriends could not have pictures 'showing their breasts.'"
The fight escalated until "There came the day in which he grabbed [her] by [her] hair and told [her] that [she] had to accept [her] reality because [she] was the woman in the relationship."
Continued Gentz:
"I am asking ALL Women to have the strength and courage to end abusive relationships like my last one was."
Gentz took the leap and posted photos of her injured face on social media.
She wrote:
"I won't hide the marks of my story because NO woman should feel ashamed of feel blamed for being a victim of domestic violence."
The incident which caused Gentz's facial injuries occurred in Bretz's apartment in Miami.
After he reportedly "threw her to the floor, kicked her in the face and began to strangle her with his legs," she ran to the building's lobby and called 911. Bretz was arrested but later released on bail.
In a stunning twist of events, Bretz is actually threatening to sue Gentz, saying "The evidence in this case clearly dictates that Ms. Gentz was the aggressor," and seeking damages for "her slanderous and libelous actions."
"They will seek to recover damages for the harm to his and his family's outstanding reputation," said Bretz's attorneys.
To report domestic violence against yourself or someone you love, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
Melissa Gentz spoke bravely when she said:
"NO woman should feel ashamed of feel blamed for being a victim of domestic violence."
Will our society ever get to that point?
H/T: The Stir, Twitter
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