Former Australian tennis champion Jelena Dokic has shared a haunting set of pictures revealing the aftermath of the abuse she suffered all through her profession.
The 39-year-old former world No. 4 has turn into one of many stars of the Australian summer time of tennis along with her sharp and insightful commentary.
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However Dokic has additionally been open along with her struggles with melancholy, on-line abuse, physique shaming and the household violence she suffered all through her profession.
Dokic revealed the horrific abuse she suffered by the hands of her father throughout her tennis profession in her e book Unbreakable.
She revealed she suffered common beatings with a belt or a hard-capped boot, together with one incident which noticed her knocked unconscious.
On Thursday, Dokic took to Instagram, sharing pictures of herself at 17 along with her legs lined in bruises.
Dokic revealed she was “unhappy and indignant” after talking at a home and household violence occasion with the numerous variety of girls nonetheless struggling abuse.
“Swollen, bruised and bleeding shins from being overwhelmed and kicked all night time with sharp sneakers proper into my shins for dropping a match,” she posted on Instagram.
“These pictures had been taken greater than two weeks later and I used to be nonetheless closely bruised. I used to be 17 years outdated.
“To this present day I nonetheless have delicate and bumpy shins from this beating.
“From each wound there’s a scar and these are mine. I’ve survived however not everybody girl and woman has or will.
“And that’s the unhappy actuality.”
Dokic stated the explanation for the publish was that there have been numerous people who find themselves at present struggling however that don’t have a voice.
“I used to be talking at a home and household violence occasion in the present day and I used to be unhappy,” she continued.
“Unhappy and indignant for the tens of thousands and thousands of girls on the market on the planet who I do know proper on this second are going by means of rather a lot worse than I ever did.
“1 girl per week is killed from home violence in Australia alone.
“1 in 4 girls will expertise home violence of their lifetime.
“The figures are even worse around the globe.
“The extra that we don’t speak about it, the extra we draw back from the difficulty, the extra we’re abandoning girls and ladies.
“For these studying this that is perhaps experiencing abuse or home violence simply know I get you.
“I understand how scared and afraid you’re.
“Know that you’ve got unbelievable energy and braveness.
“Nothing is your fault.
“For these that may please be there for people who need assistance and assist. Don’t draw back from them and don’t abandon them.
“Coming from somebody that has been there, deserted and scared to demise please don’t flip your again. Ladies and ladies want you and your assist.
“SPEAKING UP ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NOT ATTENTION SEEKING.
“WOMEN AND GIRLS DIE EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THIS JUDGEMENT AND SHAME.
“AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IT’S UNFORTUNATELY TOO LATE.
“WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT SHAMES AND STIGMATISES TALKING ABOUT ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUT THEN WE MOURN THE KILLINGS DUE TO VIOLENCE.
“Let’s do extra for the longer term generations. For our daughters, sisters and all of the women and girls around the globe to make this a greater and safer place for them to be blissful, wholesome and freed from violence.
“I’ll by no means cease combating and talking up about this challenge particularly for these that may’t and don’t have a voice.
“For those who need assistance contact the 24 hour line on 1800 737 732.”
Dokic has been an outspoken advocate after struggling home violence by the hands of her father Damir.
In her e book Unbreakable, Dokic wrote: “A mediocre coaching session, a loss, a nasty temper — any of those set off him to convey out the belt. My dropping significantly sends my father right into a rage. I hardly ever lose however after I do the consequence is brutal.
“Then he tells me to take off my shirt. It hurts rather a lot much less when you’ve gotten your shirt on and that’s why he makes me take it off. I stand in my bra, my again to him, and he orders me to not transfer as he hits me. Typically he nearly slices my pores and skin with the belt.”
She additionally stated in a 2017 interview with The Venture the fixed abuse grew to become “regular”.
“You get to a stage after that taking place for a few years the place it’s simply your on a regular basis life and also you settle for it as being, let’s say regular,” Dokic stated.
“That’s what my life was about, that’s what I needed to take care of actually on a day-to-day foundation.
“There was all the time one thing even when it at occasions wasn’t bodily, which was very uncommon, it was emotional. There was all the time one thing that I didn’t do proper.”
