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'Supergirl' actress Melissa Benoist opened up about her experiences with domestic violence to 'empower others'

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One in four women and one in seven men will be victims of intimate partner violence in their lives. However, much of this violence goes unreported. Only 25% of physical assaults against women are reported to the police each year.

Even Supergirl has experienced domestic violence. For the first time, actress Melissa Benoist opened up about her own experiences with domestic violence on her Instagram page. In a 14-minute video, Benoist spoke about her abusive relationship, which she compared to a "runaway freight train."

Benoist didn't name the partner who was abusive, but said he was younger than she was. "He was a magnanimous person, who didn't really give you a choice not to be drawn to him. He could be charming, funny, manipulative, devious," she said.

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Benoist said the relationship was "not violent at first," but he would get jealous and spy on her devices or make her change clothes before she went out. After five months, he became violent.

"The stark truth is I learned what it felt like to be pinned down and slapped repeatedly, punched so hard the wind was knocked out of me, dragged by my hair across pavement, head-butted, pinched until my skin broke, shoved into a wall so hard the drywall broke, choked," she said. "I learned to lock myself in rooms but quickly stopped because the door was inevitably broken down. I learned to not value any of my property — replaceable and irreplaceable. I learned not to value myself."

Benoist's partner threw an iPhone at her face, which permanently altered her vision. "The impact tore my iris, nearly ruptured my eyeball, lacerated my skin and broke my nose," she said. "My left eye swelled shut. I had a fat lip … Something inside of me broke, this was too far."

After speaking with a friend, Benoist decided to leave the relationship. "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 and for hurting someone I had protected for so long, and yes, [a] mournful feeling of leaving something familiar," she said. "But luckily, the people I let in, the more I was bolstered, I never lost the sense of clarity that kept telling me, 'You do not deserve this.'"

Ultimately, Benoist decided to share her story so others won't have to experience what she did. "I want those statistics to change, and I hope that telling my story will prevent more stories like this from happening," she said. "If you are enduring what I went through and you see this, you might be able to find the tiny straw that will break the camel's back."

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Benoist's current husband, actor Chris Wood, tweeted out a message of support after his wife shared her story.

Other celebrities and fans were supportive of Benoist, sharing messages of support using the hashtag #istandwithmelissa.

Benoist's powerful story is a reminder that you never really know what someone might going through. No matter how great someone's life looks on the outside, they might be going through hell on the inside.

'We stand together.'

On Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, more than 2 million people all over the world marched for gender equality rights. Many celebrities were right there with them.

After all, female celebrities — no matter how famous they are — will not escape the gender injustices that are likely to arise in our new administration. So they took their place in the crowds alongside fellow activists, loudly echoing their sentiments every step of the way, as per the Women's March mission:

Some also used their celebrity status to push the message out even further by giving bold, impassioned speeches in front of the masses.

Scarlett Johansson at the Women's March on Washington. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

But whether they were in front of a microphone, holding a sign, or sporting a pink pussy hat, their presence among the masses was inspiring. So much of the march was about inclusivity and sharing that purpose with like-minded celebrities reminded people that no one is above that concept.

Here are 27 activist celebrities who marched for the cause.

1. Ashley Judd gave a heart-stopping rendition of Nina Donovan's "Nasty Woman" poem.

2. Elizabeth Gilbert brought an appropriately revised copy of her book, "Eat, Pray, Love."

3. Ariana Grande marched with her female role model — her grandmother.

4. Connie Britton rocked a Planned Parenthood poster in Park City, Utah.

5. Katy Perry made a new feminist friend at the Los Angeles march.

6. Jessica Chastain casually handed out love buttons at the march in Washington, D.C. NBD.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

7. Drew Barrymore's daughter Frankie's sign was honest and on point.

8. If anyone messes with Melissa Benoist (aka Supergirl) and her vagina, they'll be very, very sorry.

9. I'd say Brie Larson's fans appreciated her presence among them.

10. America Ferrera's speech at the March on Washington kicked off the day. Watch it here.

Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

11. Ian McKellen marched in London with a poster of Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard. Needless to say, people couldn't get enough of him.

12. Scarlett Johansson's speech on how Planned Parenthood helped during her teen years brought the house down.

13. Gillian Anderson sported a "We the People" poster designed by Shepard Fairey.

14. Mandy Moore paired up with the inimitable Jane Fonda.

15. "Hidden Figures" actress Janelle Monae's speech says it all.

16. Maggie Gyllenhaal and her brother Jake did the Women's March on Washington sibling-style.

17. Amber Tamblyn and Amy Schumer mutually supported women's rights (and NASA).

18. Sometimes there's an actor who was in a movie your protest poster is quoted from, and everything's suddenly right with the world.

19. A highlight from one epic speech by Gloria Steinem.

20. Chelsea Handler, together with Charlize Theron and Mary McCormack, were "loud and proud" at Sundance in Park City, Utah.

21. Nick Offerman wore a pussy hat with pride (as well as some snow).

22. "Orange Is the New Black's" Jackie Cruz showed off major sign skills.

23. And Amy Poehler would not be Amy Poehler without creating a hilariously awkward situation.

24. Comedian Jenny Slate carried a sign for someone who couldn't make it to the march.

25. Alicia Keys took sisterhood selfies.

26. Zendaya was just one more in the over 500,000 person crowd in Washington, D.C.

27. And, finally, the feminist who started #HeForShe did her part for gender equality while hanging with her mom, taking photos of kids, and laughing with strangers who are now friends.

Seeing the icons we look up to marching for what's right is one heck of a reminder that we're far from alone in this fight.

Their presence at these protests makes a difference on many levels, but perhaps the most significant is showing we are all unified under one purpose. And we are going to keep defending each other and every group marginalized under Trump's administration.

Over the next four years, we will be up against a government that may try to strip us of our human rights at every turn. The more powerful, publicly known voices who stand with us and amplify our frustrations, the harder it will be for them to be ignored.

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Thousands gather to honor 57th anniversary of King's March on Washington and renew calls for equality - Upworthy ›

For the past, the present, and the future, people share their reasons for marching.

In an unprecedented rebuke to the inauguration of President Donald Trump, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets and marched on Washington, D.C. — and around the world — on Jan. 21, 2017.

On his first full day in office, the Women's March on Washington drew demonstrators from across the country — men, women, and children alike — to fight back against harmful rhetoric and campaign proposals Trump has promised.

Hundreds of thousands of protesters descend on Washington, D.C., for the Women's March. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images.

The march, which comes amid a slew of new polls reflecting historically low favorability ratings for the 45th president, united members of many marginalized groups, from people of color and immigrants to LGBTQ Americans and survivors of sexual assault to members of the disabled community who created a virtual version of the march — all who felt targeted by the president throughout his 2016 campaign.

Using the hashtag #WhyIMarch on Twitter, many marchers expressed why they took to the streets. Here are 31 of their powerful responses:

1. This person is marching for his son, who idolizes Hillary Clinton.

2. This person is marching for undocumented immigrants, who deserve better.

3. This person is marching to pay her mother's selflessness forward.

4. This person is marching to take a stand for disability rights and respect.

5. This person is marching because she is enough.

6. This person is marching because she wants to do what's right for her child.

7. This person is marching because there's no excuse for inequality.

8. This person is marching because we should all have control over our own bodies.

9. The actor Melissa Benoist, marches because you just don't mess with Supergirl (or the woman who plays her).

10. This person is marching to be an ally to everyone who feels afraid.

11. This person is marching because women ... well, they're people, too.

12. This person is marching because the future depends on having good schools.

13. Little Miss Flint is marching because we all deserve clean drinking water.

14. This person is marching to feel rejuvenated once again.

15. This person is marching for trans rights.

16. This person is marching because "justice for all" means justice for all.

17. This person is marching for her granddaughter — and everyone else's, too.

18. This person is marching because she's basically everything Trump has attacked on the campaign trail.

19. This person is marching because equal rights shouldn't be controversial.

20. This person is marching for female veterans and those living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

21. This person is marching because of the women who came before her.

22. This person is marching because her family is as diverse as America itself.

23. This person is marching to take a stand against sexual assault.

24. This person is marching to put an end to gun violence.

25. These people are marching because the rights of all women are at stake, no matter their jobs.

26. This person is marching because we simply cannot give up now.

27. CNN's Sally Kohn is marching because these are not the words of a leader.

28. This person is marching because the future depends on it.

29. Actress Lupita Nyong'o marches because she won't let the world rob her of her dignity.

30. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Washington) marches as a message to politicians who want to deny people access to affordable care at Planned Parenthood.

31. This person marches because she survived the attack at Sandy Hook and won't stop now.

Human rights are under attack. Women's rights are under attack. The women, the men, the boys, and the girls who march today are sending a powerful message at those who seek to deny others those rights.

No matter who you voted for (or if you voted) in November's election, you have a right to make your voice heard — and around the world, hundreds of thousands of people are doing just that. Change is possible, and protests do work.

The 31 stories shared here are a small sampling of the wide range of reasons people have taken to the streets in dissent. When things look tough, let us look to those voices, let us join in their chorus.

A woman in Barcelona, Spain, marches for women's rights. Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images.