Angelina Jolie: ‘The ugly truth is that violence in homes is normalized in our country’

Angelina Jolie traveled to Washington DC again this week, and again her visit was about Congress’s need to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, or VAWA. Her eldest daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt, age 17, joined her on the trip to Capitol Hill, and Zahara was in some of the meetings too. Per People Magazine, Angelina “has worked closely with the bill’s sponsors and advocates on provisions to address the impact on kids of domestic violence and the long-term health effects of trauma.” She addressed the need to understand how the “trauma effects of abuse” have far-reaching consequences for children, families and the health of society. Angelina has also been advocating for Kayden’s Law, “which requires trauma-informed court processes and legal standards and judicial training that minimizes the risk of harm to children.”

Jolie also made a passionate speech with some of the senators and victims’ rights advocates, and I’m including the video below. She’s been working with Senator Durbin, Senator Murkowski, Joni Ernst, Ambassador Susan Rice and more. Here’s part of her speech:

“Standing here at the center of our nation’s power, I can think only of everyone who has been made to feel powerless by their abusers by a system that failed to protect them… The reason that many people struggle to leave abusive situations is that they’ve been made to feel worthless. When there is silence from a Congress too busy to renew the Violence Against Women Act for a decade, it reenforces that sense of worthlessness.”

“The ugly truth is that violence in homes is normalized in our country. There are people in this room who have suffered abuse and been denied justice that have worked for years to ensure that this VAWA reauthorization achieves certain basic protections that no survivors should have to ask for, like Kayden’s Law, or funding for non-racially biased forensic evidence collection, or the jurisdiction to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators of sexual assault, child abuse and sex trafficking on tribal land. These protections are urgently needed.”

“Most of all, I want to acknowledge the children who are terrified and suffering at this moment, and the many people for whom this legislation comes too late. The women who have suffered through this system with little or no support — they still carry the pain and trauma of their abuse. The young adults who have survived abuse and emerged stronger, not because of the child protective system, but despite it. And the women and children who have died, who could have been saved.”

[From The Hill]

Angelina is an incredibly compassionate and empathetic person, and I think even if she was in a perfectly well-adjusted non-violent marriage, she would still feel this passionately about VAWA. But given what we know about why her marriage to Brad Pitt ended, and how she ran screaming from him following a violent altercation on a plane in 2016, all of this feels very personal. Add to that, she’s been fighting Pitt in court for years. That fight has awakened her interest in children’s rights and the need to protect children from abuse and a justice system which was not built to protect kids. What happened on that plane fundamentally changed her.

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Instar, Instagram, Getty.

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87 Responses to “Angelina Jolie: ‘The ugly truth is that violence in homes is normalized in our country’”

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  1. caitlinsmom says:

    why is VAWA in a form that needs to be periodically reauthorized? why can’t we just have permanent protections against violence for women and children in the law and leave it at that? Is the idea of protecting women and children so radical that it needs periodic re-examination? No one seems to be questioning whether legal prohibitions against theft, or murder need to be re-examined or re-authorized!

    • AlpineWitch says:

      As a non-American I was thinking the same… those protections should be permanent.

      • Songs (Or It Didn't Happen) says:

        I could be wrong, but I believe it is the funding that needs to be periodically revised and renewed. Republicans perpetually want to cut its funding.

    • KFG says:

      Because it’s not a law, it’s an act that includes regulations for funding of universities and police departments and required trainings. If they made it a law, too many congressional donors would be upset.

      • Lady Elaine says:

        That’s not really accurate. VAWA is an Act that contains numerous legal protections (Laws) which do not sunset. The funding expires as all government funding does at which time it needs to be reauthorized.

    • Lady Elaine says:

      VAWA is not in a form that needs reauthorization. It has no sunset. The appropriations to fund VAWA grants need reauthorization just like funding for the military and S-Chip, etc. The legal protections afforded in the Act don’t expire. Those are laws. The funding, which is obviously a significant component, expires in the same way all other forms of government funding expire.

  2. North of Boston says:

    Good for her for continuing to advocate for this.

    The fact that she, a successful, wealthy person with money, access, connections and piles of resources at her disposal still experienced domestic violence, still couldn’t protect her children from experiencing it and 5 years later, is having to STILL be fighting to legally get free of ties to the abusive/violent spouse, even though she made a decisive and intentionally permanent break from him way back when (vs the cases when a victim hesitates for a whole host of reasons … not the least being they’ve been psychologically damaged by their abuser and lack the power, support to safety break free) is an example of how messed up the system is.

    Imagine what families without all her resources and visibility have to go through, have gone through, with children suffering for years because the system makes it so hard to break away from abuse, get support, protection and resources to recover or to see justice served.

    • candy says:

      It’s so much more common than people realize, and affects women across the board.

      • North of Boston says:

        Yes, exactly.

        My family went through it when I was growing up, and that sense of lack of safety at home before my parents divorce, and lack of safety in our community as a whole afterwards still impacts my life to this day (ie one of the reasons I’ve never tried to see a therapist is a fear that whichever one I pick would unknown to me be a supporter of my abusive father. Likely? Maybe not … possible? Absolutely, as I’ve been bit by surprise affiliations even decades later living in a different county than where I grew up).

        Dad was a local coach and celebrity and people believed his lies and bought his publicly charming persona. Mom and us children became pariahs in our hometown. I had public teachers refuse to provide instruction to me (go sit over there, I’m not teaching you … go home and let your mother teach you! I was 12), people shunned me or mocked me as a child, people accosted me at my father’s funeral as they were going through the receiving line.

        My mother’s strength, dignity, kindness, humor, resourcefulness, determination to survive, consistent compassion for other people and good character were the only things that got me through a childhood in poverty and with lack of broader support, enabled me to survive and function somewhat as an adult. But it took me years to realize the wounds and scars I carried weren’t a reflection on me being a worthless person, but on others, including my father, for being cruel, damaged, poor excuses for human beings who enjoyed taking advantage of and harming vulnerable people.

        Legal protections won’t fix society, but it’s the least we should do.

      • Christy says:

        I’m so sorry North of Boston.

      • BothSidesNow says:

        @ North of Boston, I am so sorry and incredibly proud of you, your mother and your siblings, if applicable. You are a woman now and you have strength and courage that your Mother passed to you.

        I am so sorry for all of you. No child should have to suffer in this country.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Hugs to you North of Boston & other CB commenters. NoB, don’t let fear stop you from seeking help if you feel you need it. You write thoughtful posts-we may/may not agree on everything. (I appreciate the insight and different opinions.)

        35 plus years ago, a pair of married local high school coaches, finally got called out publicly for things people knew they were doing and were covered up. Their wives were made out to be harpies. They are not heralded anymore and their ex wives are doing significantly better. Check in with women organizations/shelters and their recommendations (look into who donates to them to be sure). Have a friend make casual inquiries to someone you might be thinking about talking to (I’ve done that for someone who has had the same concerns) or do a background check for their affiliations.

        Angelina wouldn’t want you to be afraid to pursue your well being. For years she’s been quietly dignified against the trash said about her. Saying in circumspect ways some things.

        If Angelina & Meghan, Duchess of Sussex were to ever get together on the abuse of women & other things-the internetwebs would break.imo Would love to see it.

    • Brava's Mom says:

      I’m experiencing such in my marriage right now. Just had altercation with my husband this morning and I don’t feel safe anymore. Telling my folks about it won’t help cause they will tell me marriage has such bumps and all that. Even though such problems arose immediately we got married and had informed both families about it, all that they could say was to be patient and that everyone experienced such sooner or later in marriage.
      I don’t want to continue with this marriage anymore. But I don’t have the means to get out of it neither is anyone willing to help out in a way or the other.
      My family prefer I stay with him cause I’m in my mid thirties n have no job though completed university decade ago.
      I feel alone and defeated.
      America has shelters for women in such predicament but here in Africa there is no such thing .
      So most stay in such abusive marriages as they won’t get any support from family and even if they do will soon become a social pariah as your wortha as a woman is seen as being married and have born children.
      All my life all I wanted was to achieve something big and being seen for what I was born with and earned ,not be recognized as a married woman or mother to matter in my family.
      It’s so freaking hard…

      • ElleE says:

        @Brava’s Mom I am sending you positive thoughts and love from
        New England. You sound like a strong person, you know who you are, you know that you are in the wrong place and you know that your life will change for the better, someday. (I 50% want out of my marriage too and I am the breadwinner – it is still hard. He just insults me everyday and now my kids mirror his behavior. I don’t know what the hell to do but at least I have options).

      • Therese says:

        I send love and support to you and ElleE

  3. Cessily says:

    As someone who went from an abusive childhood home straight into an abusive marriage at 18 that took me over three decades to escape this is so important. When I left I moved across country and in a secured neighborhood but I still spiral with debilitating ptsd and jump at my own shadow. I find it easier to just isolate so I can’t be hurt anymore. I may not have to worry about the mood of my spouse when I enter house but the damage is so deep unless you lived it you have no idea.

    • Escargot says:

      I’m so sorry. And I relate, sadly. I went from my mother’s horrendous abuse, right into the arms of an abusive narcissist at age 19. And then I got away 7 years later.

      I want to say to you, therapy for the hyper vigilance helps so much. It’s hell, jumping at every sound and feeling constantly unsafe. You have all my sympathy. I was in that phase for many years. It can get better, it truly can. If you’re open to therapy for PTSD, there’s a path to follow where you have more control over how you react to things.

      Big hugs to you. You deserve love and companionship. The walls we build to stay safe become a prison and it’s work to take them back down but it can be done. Or at least they can be greatly lowered, and a few doors can be added in to let love in.

    • Kelly says:

      much love to you Cessily. You are heard and I hope your tender heart can find peace.

    • Andrew's Nemesis says:

      I had a similar upbringing and experience of horribly violent and abusive relationships. Five years of concentrated trauma therapy has got rid of the PTSD. I used to be too afraid to leave the house; now I think f*ck it, time to live on my terms. I would really urge therapy. You don’t deserve to live like this. Your abuser doesn’t deserve to have any power over any part of your life. You deserve to be free.
      Lots of hugs.

    • NotSoSocialB says:

      I’m so sorry for all you have endured. I was raised in an abusive & very dysfunctional home and I concur with Andrew’s Nemesis, above- once you’ve found a therapist you click with, it can be a game changer. Hope you can find one ( if you wish/ are ready ) who is proficient with EMDR. You are worth your time and effort. My best to you , friend.

    • Kate says:

      I’ve been reading the book “What Happened to You” co-authored by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah and it explains the biological and neurological effects of trauma. Basically, all external stimuli have to go through the brain stem, the ‘lizard brain’ before it can get to your cortex, the part of your brain that can think rationally and tell time. If your lizard brain has been highly sensitized by trauma, it will react to stimuli (smells, sounds, tones of voice, etc) that resemble the traumatizing stimuli and send you into your survival mode before your higher brain can even be like “hold on I am not in danger, that was just a door slamming from the wind not the door being slammed by my drunk husband 10 years ago”.

      It also talks about the health and relational effects of being in that aroused state more often than not. It’s very enlightening and I recommend it to anyone curious about trauma. I haven’t gotten to the part where they explain what to DO about trauma, but early chapters hint there is hope for healing.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Cessily, I am so sorry for you. I hope that you will find peace one day. But you are a strong woman because you were able to get out! You did IT!!! No one else did it.

    • Cessily says:

      Thank you all for the comments, there are beautiful souls in this world and you are proof of that. I have been through several therapists and I keep looking, hopefully one will click soon. I will take the advise and look for a more specialized therapist/therapy. It’s been a rough 2022💐

  4. rawiya says:

    I hate the feeling I have that he abused her, but it was only when he hit Maddox that she got out. I hate him and I hate Hollywood for picking his side over her’s.

    I’m proud of her for doing this work and I’m proud of Z for being with her.

    • lanne says:

      I don’t think the plane incident was a one-time thing. I think it was the final straw. It’s sobering to think that she would have been absolutely destroyed by him had she no power or money of her own. He could have had her blackballed in the industry, taken her children from her, found a “yummy stepmommy”.

      I’m really proud of her, too

      • Zut Alors says:

        He is still trying to abuse her financially regarding Château Miraval.

      • KrystinaJ says:

        @Zut Alors
        He can’t abuse her financially anymore regarding the Chateau. She sold her stake in it not too long ago.

      • Coco says:

        @ KrystinaJ

        The Stoli group that she sold her shears to are now suing Bitt for mismanagement. How many lawsuit that does that make now against him.

    • souperkay says:

      I continue to feel like “By the Sea” was more autobiographical than she would say at the time.

  5. YOKOOHNO says:

    Sometimes, if you go through something truly horrible and *do* receive some support, it can be absolutely haunting to think of everyone who goes through it without support.

    I haven’t experienced DV thankfully, but I’ve been going through something health related where many people don’t receive any support due to stigma. I have been so lucky to receive support but sometimes my heart is so heavy seeing others who don’t get that and the suffering they experience as a result. If I ever improve enough I will *have* to be a part of helping this group because it is too painful not to.

    So again, not the same thing at all as what Jolie has gone through, but I really empathize with that, almost compulsive, need to help. What a wonderful way for her to use her voice and recognition.

  6. Jezz says:

    I adore her. She made me cry when she started to cry.
    But then I did wonder … was she abused or is this a divorce ploy? Am I a jerk for wondering if she exaggeaated this?

    • Lurker says:

      Brad, is that you? 🤦🏻‍♀️ The patriarchy is built to make us see women as villainous, exaggerating, lying, untrustworthy. Enough. BELIEVE WOMEN. She’s up there being so vulnerable and clearly in pain and all you can think is “divorce ploy”? SMDH. We have so far to go as a society.

    • AmyB says:

      Exaggerate what exactly? The incident on that plane (some kind of alcoholic induced rage that resulted in violence towards Maddox, who was most likely defending Angelina) prompted her to GTFO and never look back. There was no, oh perhaps we can reconcile if you get sober – NOTHING. She was done. So, what is exaggerated? Perhaps you have not experienced the sheer insanity and horror of being with an alcoholic/drug addict. I have. Married for 10 years to one. You reach a breaking point, trust me. Some may not, but I did, and clearly Angie did too. And it was about my daughter as well.

      Downplaying someone’s trauma is disgusting, especially when you have no clue what it was like for them! Like @Lurker said: BELIEVE WOMEN! Angelina has been fighting Brad for five fucking years over the custody of her children, and her two oldest want nothing to do with him. WHAT the hell is exaggerated here????? The facts speak for themselves.

      Are you a jerk for thinking that and thinking divorce ploy? YES!

    • Kelly says:

      Yes Jezz, you are a jerk. She was speaking from the heart, especially when she said “despite it” you could see that it was personal. Please do better. Like it has been said “believe women” and for anybody who doesn’t, suck a bag of d*cks.

    • Sammie says:

      You could literally see her body flush with emotion. Her speech was no exaggeration, neither is her passion for the cause or the fact that she has been a victim of domestic abuse. No matter how the tabloids and Brad’s PR try to spin it, he abused his family.

      A stranger phoned CPS / he had to sign an agreement to get charges dropped / he had to be drug tested / he colluded with the judge / he has hired corrupt therapists / he neglected her as a business partner at Miraval / he didn’t pay adequate child support / he never defended her in the public eye when they were together / he has used the media to defame her / and he physically hurt their child at least once. And that is just what we know from court documents.

      No, she is not exaggerating. She, like many of us, is a woman has been harmed by someone she trusted. Her contributions are making it safer for us and her children and there is no need for negative judgement on her work in this area.

      • Jezz says:

        You’re right, her contributions are making the world better and safer. Period. I didn’t mean to sound diminishing of her work, just musing about actors in high-profile divorces. My question hit a nerve for many here and I’m sorry.

    • Andrew's Nemesis says:

      What the absolute hell? She’s advocating for our gender’s empowerment and you think she’s trying to use it self-servingly?
      Check your internalised misogyny.

    • Mireille says:

      No, you’re not a jerk. But this isn’t a ploy to gather sympathy or influence with the courts in her custody case against Brad. Her experience with Brad led her to fight more for victims of abuse, but this is a woman who also has been advocating for refugees and the end/accountability for sexual violence in war and conflict FOR YEARS. Her advocating for the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act is more aligned to what she’s stands for in all her ongoing humanitarian efforts.

      • Jezz says:

        True, it is an extension of her larger global work. I’d just never seen her tear up when speaking, even in the most horrendous IDP camp. She’s usually so composed. That’s why I wondered what prompted her emotional reaction in this particular speech — personal trauma or knowing a domestic audience would include her husband’s lawyers.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Jezz, I might be wrong, Pitt is her ex husband. Thought that was finalized in 2019. This has nothing to do with Pitt’s lawyers. One really cannot say I adore her but………..I’m wondering if………….??????

        Angelina has been working on these types of issues for 20? years. It’s not a new thing. She has been working with and is part of group of high profile people involved with this important issue. Does personal trauma come into play? Most likely. Like anyone else that has gone through things. That aside, you don’t have to go through the same things to have empathy, sympathy or an emotional reaction to words you’re speaking out loud. I have to turn the news off sometimes because listening to the damage/violence done to people hurts when I don’t even know them. Angelina, through her ‘global network’, has heard more personal stories than me. Yes, you are a bit of a jerk questioning the authenticity of her speech & feelings. No one should minimize AJ’s participation with Senators & others regarding VAWA. Unless, they support Violence Against
        Women (and children).imo

    • Jules says:

      Yes, Brad Pitt Fan Girl masquerading as a Jolie supporter. Yes, you are.

    • MerlinsMom1018 says:

      @Jezz
      “Jerk” is not the word that comes to MY mind reading your comment.

      • lanne says:

        More like fuckwit asshole. Seriously, the thing that men and “pick me I’m a cool girl” women will believe about women. Yeah, a woman is going to bust up her family’s life, become an advocate for DV. endure the wrath of an entire industry that sides with her husband just to “get attention.” For God’s sake, it is NOT the singular goal of most grown women to grasp for attention from a man.

    • CuriousCole says:

      Having just celebrated my first anniversary of getting free of my abuser, I’m echoing Merlin’s Mom in saying “jerk” isn’t the right word for what you’ve said here Jezz. How dare you.

      • AC says:

        Your comment is despicable! I have seen her emotional speeches lots of times. Jolie composed for lawyers? What a crock of bs!

    • NotSoSocialB says:

      Not to be mean, but my first reaction was, yes, you are being a jerk for thinking she’s dramatizing for a tactic. That’s just gross.

      But I’m guessing you have never been in abusive home, so I should cut you some slack and ask you to expose yourself to statistics and stories of people who openly discuss their experiences.
      You could even start here, in this or many similar articles, and read the comments.

    • Ange says:

      The kids didn’t want anything to do with him afterwards either, how much more proof would you need?! Ugh.

    • GrnieWnie says:

      What a dumb comment. Yes, Angelina has worked in humanitarian affairs for 25 years JUST SO SHE COULD EXPLOIT HER POSITION AND THE WORK THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEAR TO HER FOR HER OWN GAIN. You nailed it, good job.

  7. Des says:

    That caption and what it says about her relationship with her children and how important this is for her breaks my heart.

  8. Tempest says:

    A lovely human.

  9. Escargot says:

    This is even more pressing an issue, what with COVID disrupting family life and keeping many kids isolated in homes on and off over the past two years.

    My upbringing was hellish with an abusive narcissist for a mother… school was my escape and my paradise. My teachers were everything to me, and the safety and structure I felt at school kept me from going completely insane due to the evil that existed in my home life.

    If I had been cut off from school… I can only imagine how much worse my mother would have been with kids home all day, and no one to ever offer a kind word or make us kids feel safe. I really worry for children living with parents who have personality disorders and substance abuse disorders, they are more at risk than ever.

    • Christine says:

      I am terrified that once everything is completely opened up, and people start paying attention, we are going to find a lot of dead spouses/partners and kids. There’s no way the pandemic didn’t make an already horrific situation much, much worse.

    • Andrea says:

      I grew up with a narcissistic verbally and physically abusive mother who told me at 19 she abused me because she was jealous of my relationship with my father and found me to be competition. My first bf I dated between 18-21 and I ultimately called the cops on him for pulling a gun on me. He was verbally abusive as well. Years later, he was in a 12 step program and admitted to being abusive because I wouldn’t allow him to impregnate me! My second boyfriend became an alcoholic and pushed me into a table one night which left me in bruises because he felt I wasnt paying him enough attention at our own party! After those first two experiences, I learned my worth and have spent many years in therapy. No man will ever lay a hand on me again.

  10. B n A fn says:

    I cried listening to her very powerful message. I ❤️ Her.

    • NotSoSocialB says:

      I cannot understand how others did not feel her pain & emotions. Stunned. But I shouldn’t be because I’m sure the VAWA won’t be passed. AGAIN.

  11. whatWHAT? says:

    can she maybe talk to some of the clowns on the Kim/Ye threads who think that Kim is “stunt-queening” in regards to her situation with Ye?

    egad, some people…

    on topic – go Ms. Jolie! – continue to do the good that you do.

    side note – I love Z’s blue braids.

    • AmyB says:

      Yes, I agree. Kim and Angelina are obviously very different women but were in two similar marriages. With toxic, gaslighting, abusive, mentally ill (in Kim’s case) alcoholic (in Angelina’s case) husbands. Very horrible, abusive marriages and necessary to get out of. You might not like either woman for various reasons, but the courage to GET OUT of an abusive marriage is commendable, and we should always support those women!!!

      • whatWHAT? says:

        “we should always support those women!!!”

        yes and yes! I’m not much of a fan of the Kardashians, and their whole “famous for no reason” place in society, but GDAMMIT I do have sympathy for Kim in this situation.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        All of this. That goes for the children of both of these women too- there’s a need and a responsibility to be careful in our treatment of all of these kids.

    • Mireille says:

      I didn’t want to bring it up, unless someone else did too (thank you for this)…but, on a superficial note, love Zahara’s stunning blue braids.

  12. Ai says:

    It saddens me that this law can expire, and the lack of unanimous support for its renewal – it’s been expired since 2018! Like isn’t it the right and common decent thing to have such a law in place?!? I can’t even think about how many lives could have been saved in those gap years and since we have women and children suffering and dying daily from DV.

  13. Andrea says:

    I felt so heartbroken for her when she started to tear up because it reminded me of what she and her children have gone through for the past years. How I wish I could have the ability to erase the pain that was inflicted upon her heart forever, sometimes it saddens me when I look back at the photos between 2002-2005, the pre-Pitt era, when there was only Maddox and her, you could see the sparks and glow in her eyes. One thing that Pitt disgusts me the most is that he showed no sign that he wanted to make up for the mistakes he made. He is unforgivable.

  14. AC says:

    Thank you @Lurker

    • Jen says:

      Ever beeñ in a abusive situation it wasn’t physical but emotional physiological u know the kind of person who tears u down with their words making u feel you are good for nothing. I thank God i broke free but it took tym to build my self esteem.

  15. AC says:

    I watched this live yesterday and you can tell that she went through something just by listening and looking at her. The part when she said, “feeling like you are not worth anything”, sounds like something he said to her. Like you are nothing without me, but he failed to understand she was more than he was before he met her. I think that Hollywood still looks at her as the wild child, and completely ignores her evolution.
    Whatever he did, I am disgusted and more with Hollywood with being more concerned if he was getting back together with Anniston than this man abusing his family.

    • KFG says:

      The thing is, Brad wrote an oped admitting he was abusive. When she had the double mastectomy and hysterectomy, he said he was mean and angry at her. He admitted he’s a shit. People always want to give abusive men 2nd chances or allow redemption. No. This shit has to stop.

      • Coco says:

        Sad thing is his fans choose to over look that time and time again like it never happened.

      • Isa says:

        I’m not even a Jennifer Aniston fan and it bugs me the way everyone was rooting for her to get back together with him. She deserves better. He used her and that publicity to hide his abuse.

  16. candy says:

    She was definitley abused. The older I get, the more I realize how severe the issue is, even within my own relationship history. A lot of times, you don’t realize you were abused it until you leave, because your brain is designed to protect you. I think that’s how she felt, she had a lot to process after the relationship ended. We’re all healing.

  17. Trish says:

    She’s right and I notice a change in Angelina. Been following her since she came out. It could just be the natural way we get as life hits us with things, but she still has that fight in her to stand up and say this is wrong, which I love. I love Angelina.

  18. Bluenoser says:

    She speaks with such passion and quiet ferocity. It’s so powerful I felt it. She brought me to tears.

  19. chitowner says:

    I feel this so much. I am not a parent. Yet, as soon as the pandemic started and the Chicago Public School system was scrambling to get every child electronic devices, I worried about the children who would ‘fall through the cracks’. The children whose parents would abuse them more, because they had no more fear that anyone at school would report the abuse or because having the child at home more, tested the parent’s non-existent coping skills. There needs to be a National Violence Act that protects against physical, psychological and financial abuse. Particularly financial abuse. You can’t/won’t leave, if it’s hard as hell and you don’t have somewhere better to go.

  20. Facts says:

    Angelina is a Godsend She is so compassionate and I’m tired of people calling her crazy or being so freaking biased about Pitt and his shenanigans. She is speaking up for these kids and women that have been abused and some even killed and yet a few say who is she. Fk them and Angie keep up the good work!

  21. Mina_Esq says:

    That is genuine pain of a mother that saw her kids go through something. I kind of love that she dropped the f bomb there too. Shows that she didn’t expect to get so emotional.

    • AC says:

      I thought that I was the only one that noticed that. I loved it too!

      • Isa says:

        I wondered if that’s what she said. I know that feeling. When you think you’ve got it together and then those memories come flooding back and you’re trying to maintain composure.

  22. Meg says:

    Lots of bipartisan star crushing behind her. Very gracious and graceful woman.

  23. Jay says:

    I love that she thanked Zahara for being a calming presence – she’s a professional performer and an accomplished advocate, but you can tell this was hard.

  24. Karisma says:

    Such an exemple of strength. She deserves the world

  25. Patricia says:

    What I don’t understand is why she won’t/doesn’t just say what happened.She’s obviously a woke,independent and intelligent woman.It seems like it would benefit so many women,if they knew she had been a victim of DV.An advocate with clout.And why did the FBI clear Brad ?

    • Ingrid says:

      Well Patricia for one she can’t say right now before she is still in a legal battle with Pitt and maybe under a NDA because he likes to hide behind those.
      Secondly most people like yourself won’t believe her anyways, your kind has been saying she is lying for almost six years so would u believe her if she gave specifics.
      Thirdly Pitt wasn’t cleared, that’s the narrative his paid PR put out. He came to an agreement and has to have monitors. Most people don’t read or care about truth they just latch onto headers and tweets that he paid a lot of money for.

  26. Sandii says:

    “Therapy in a nutshell” is a free YouTube channel that might help you a little bit! Hope you find your peace…. 🌷🌤🌠

  27. Sally says:

    I am planning my divorce now. After 25 years, my children are old enough I feel I don’t need to protect them. I have great sadness that my oldest, the girl, was most affected by his verbal abuse.
    This divorce is going to be the best thing that ever happened to him as I hope he gets the mental help he needs so much and the chance to repair his relationship with his children.
    I hope to be rid of his disgusting hoarding and the vermin infestation that has developed in his filthy bedroom.
    I am also so much looking forward to living my life fully. “Love is never any better than the lover.” Toni Morrison

  28. TEALIEF says:

    She is a very brave person, and she and her children have been – putting it mildly – through some things. No one fully knows what goes on behind any door, of any home, except the people who live there. Most people try to keep the “messiness” behind closed doors. Most times when it bursts forth, it is because it is too wide, too deep, too destructive to contain. I know, and recognise her pain, and I empathise with her and her children. That she’s using her personal pain to advocate for women and children is ultimately, an act of courage.

    Now, I wonder if Joni Ernst could and would see that there is a through-line that runs between renewing VAWA, a woman’s right to choose, and defunding Planned Parenthood.

    • TEALIEF says:

      To clarify: All of the above are lifelines to women. They have lapsed, are under attack or under funded. Women are dragged under when these lifelines are removed.