Yahoo News Loose Women's Olivia Attwood on domestic abuse in past relationships
The following article contains discussion of themes including domestic abuse and coercive control.
Loose Women star Olivia Attwood has opened up about her experience of domestic abuse in past relationships.
As part of the show's new domestic abuse campaign, titled Facing It Together, Tuesday's (March 5) episode saw members of the panel take part in an emotive short film to raise awareness around the important issue.
Olivia began the clip by sharing why she wanted to be part of the campaign, saying: "I wanted to be part of Loose Women's Facing It Together campaign because I want people to know the Olivia you see on the panel — the confident version of myself — I wasn't always like this.
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"It would probably surprise a lot of people — as I've never spoken about it publicly — but in some of my past relationships I have suffered domestic abuse. And I think by being transparent, it might help someone else in a similar situation."
The former Love Island star went on to detail the various forms of abuse she faced during previous relationships and explained how much it affected her.
"When I look back over the past relationships, there has been issues that have shown themselves in different forms — from coercive control to intimidation," she said.
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"For a lot of people it'll be hard to imagine me editing myself because I felt like I was annoying or I was too much. I very quickly became conditioned that the things I was experiencing were normal or if not normal, that they were my fault.
"They'll always find a way for you to doubt yourself and they almost become artistic in placing those seeds of doubt and you start to believe it. If you hear something enough it becomes the truth."
She added: "Something I read almost daily on my DMs from young women is 'how did you become so confident?' but what I want to convey is that that didn't happen overnight. We're seen as these women on television doing amazing things but, equally, it can happen to people like us."
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The Facing It Together campaign has been guided by two domestic abuse charities, Women's Aid and SafeLives, in the hope of highlighting the help available to those living with domestic abuse.
Women's Aid ambassador Mel B will join the Loose Women panel on Thursday, March 7, to continue the important conversation.
Loose Women airs on weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV1 and streams on ITVX.
If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, organisations including Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk) and Women's Aid (www.womensaid.org.uk) can provide further support and information. The 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), or text LOVEIS to 22522.
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