‘Domestic abuse does not have to define you’ – Jen
JENNIFER Zamparelli has said feeling safe in her own home is something she’ll never take for granted, after suffering domestic abuse at the hands of an ex-partner.
The Dancing With The Stars host has advised others in a similar situation that ‘you can come out the other side’, as she backed Women’s Aid’s new Stand Strong campaign.
Last year was the charity’s busiest ever, with gardaí responding to over 54,000 domestic abuse calls.
Reflecting on her own experiences, the 2FM DJ said: ‘I feel incredibly lucky to feel very safe and secure in my lovely home. It is something that I never take for granted and something that I will always, always appreciate.
‘Did you know that one in four women do not feel like that? One in four women in this country have been a victim of domestic violence. And that is frightening.
‘Often, we do not hear about it because there is an element of shame, but we need to show our support. We need to let women know, if they need it, there is help, there is support. They do not need to feel unsafe in the place that they live.’
Ms Zamparelli said she had ignored warning signs in a past relationship with an abusive partner.
She explained: ‘He was a very charming person. Always the fun guy. Great on a night out. There was this turn in him – and he always took it out on me. That was a major red flag that I completely ignored because I believed all the nonsense that came after it.
‘A lot of people used to say to me: “Why didn’t you leave?” The simple fact was because I loved him.’
She continued: ‘By supporting Women’s Aid and the Stand Strong Campaign, I want to let people know that this can happen to anyone but there is hope.
‘You can come out the other side and have a successful relationship and a successful life and it does not have to define you.’
Ms Zamparelli is backing a yoga-based campaign to raise funds for the thousands of women who contact Women’s Aid every year.
The support group and Allianz Insurance have asked people across Ireland to take part on February 1 in a powerful demonstration of solidarity and support for those subjected to abuse.
A spokeswoman for the charity explained: ‘It’s an action that requires no training or preparation. Just Stand Strong in the warrior yoga pose, donate or fundraise with colleagues, family, or friends, and share pictures on social media using the campaign hashtag #WAStandStrong. The warrior pose symbolises strength, resilience, and determination – qualities Women’s Aid wants to emphasise in the face of domestic violence.’
Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: ‘Showing solidarity with women, listening, and believing is a key part of our work.
‘Stand Strong is a powerful but simple action to reflect that one in four women in this country lives with suffocating abuse from someone they once loved, someone they once trusted. It could be anyone: your best friend, your sister, your colleague, your neighbour, your team-mate, your mother, your daughter. Anyone.
‘Last year, Women’s Aid had our busiest year in our 50-year history. The gardaí responded to over 54,000 to domestic abuse calls last year. And these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg.’
More details of the campaign can be found at standstrong.ie.
‘Solidarity with women’