Months after Evan Rachel Wood released a video statement explaining why she, and many other women, refuse to name their abusers, the actress has now appeared in from of Congress to detail her harrowing experience of sexual assault.
Pushing for the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Acts in all 50 states, the Westworld star gave a five minute testimony in which she describes in graphic detail the domestic and sexual abuse she's suffered over the years, resulting in PTSD, addiction, depression, and agoraphobia.
Ahead of her speech, the emotional-looking actress posted several videos to Instagram in which she can be seen preparing for her astonishing testimony in Washington D.C.
Detailing her experience of domestic abuse, Wood said:
'It started slow but escalated over time, including threats against my life, severe gas-lighting and brainwashing, [and] waking up to the man that claimed to love me raping what he believed to be my unconscious body. And the worst part: Sick rituals of binding me up by my hands and feet to be mentally and physically tortured until my abuser felt I had proven my love for them.
'While I was tied up and being beaten and told unspeakable things, I truly felt like I could die. Not just because my abuser said to me, "I could kill you right now," but because in that moment I felt like I left my body and I was too afraid to run.'
She also explained how her experience of assault led to further attacks.
'Being abused and raped previously made it easier for me to be raped again — not the other way around,' she revealed.
She continued:
'I struggled with self-harm to the point of two suicide attempts, which landed me in a psychiatric hospital for a short period of time. This was, however, a turning point in my life when I started seeking professional help to deal with my trauma and mental stress.
'But others are not so fortunate, and because of this rape is often more than a few minutes of trauma, but slow death.'
Following the mother-of-one's statement, Amanda Nguyen, the CEO and founder of RISE, and Rebecca O'Connor, the vice-president of the Rape Abuse Incest National Network (RAINN), also testified.
In the US, the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Act specifies rights for survivors — such as having forensic evidence preserved, and ensuring rape kits are free — at a federal but not state level.
'[This bill is] the recognition of basic civil rights for sexual-assault survivors and serves as a first step,' Wood said. 'It's a safety net that may help save someone's life one day.'
Watch Wood's powerful testimony below:
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
