Melissa Benoist is opening up about a painful part of her past in hopes she can prevent others from experiencing the same trauma she did.

In a lengthy video she shared on Instagram’s IGTV, the “Supergirl” star revealed she had once been the victim of domestic violence during a previous relationship.

While Benoist, 31, didn’t name her alleged attacker, she revealed that things started with emotional manipulation and jealousy.

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About five months into the relationship, she explained, he became physically violent toward her, describing 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.”

Looking back, Benoist is horrified by how she accepted what was happening until eventually fighting back. “I changed and I’m not proud of how I changed,” she admitted.

In a statement she posted on her Instagram page, Benoist thanked those who watched and explained her motivation for coming forward to tell her story.

“The long and winding road of healing and reconciliation has brought me to this moment where I feel strong enough to talk about my experience openly, honestly and without shame,” she wrote. “By sharing my story, hopefully I can empower others to seek help and extricate themselves from abusive relationships. Everyone deserves to be loved void of violence, fear and physical harm.”

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Benoist concluded by advising others who find themselves in similar situations to seek help. “If you are in crisis and need assistance to find a safe way out, call the domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE,” she wrote, also sharing a link to futureswithoutviolence.org.

Benoist’s posts were met with an avalanche of support, which included messages of encouragement from some of her celebrity friends.

“Supergirl” airs Sundays on Showcase.