Actress Evan Rachel Wood testified to the United States Congress about the effects of the “toxic mental, physical and sexual abuse” she encountered at the hands of an ex-partner.
The Westworld star gave her harrowing account to members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations in a bid to support the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act, which impacts survivors of sexual assault in the US.
She told of the abuse “that started slow but escalated over time, including threats against my life, severe gaslighting and brainwashing” that took place more than 10 years ago.
Never stop fighting. ✊🏻 @RiseNowUS @RAINN #EvanInDc #StartARevolution pic.twitter.com/vqsL9CZWzA
— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) February 28, 2018
Wood said she would wake up “to the man that claimed he loved me raping what he believed to be my unconscious body” and that he would bind her up and would mentally and physically torture her until he “felt I had proven my love for him”.
Wood spoke of feelings of “utter shame and despair” after being raped several times, and she said that she is still “not fine”.
She said she has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has spent years battling depression, addiction, night terrors and agoraphobia following the cases of assault.
“Even though these experiences happened a decade ago I still struggle with the aftermath,” she said.
“The feeling of paralysis returns when I’m home alone and hear a loud noise and I’m convinced someone is coming to hurt me.
“I stay awake all night clutching a baseball bat, which began to replace my distraught and absent partners, as trust and touch became increasingly more difficult.”
Wood said she has self-harmed and attempted suicide twice, but that being admitted to a psychiatric hospital was “a turning point” in her life, leading her to seek professional help to deal with the trauma.
Thanks to @evanrachelwood, @nguyen_amanda & Lauren Libby of @RiseNowUS for their courageous testimony on the importance of the Survivors Bill of Rights today. We're proud to stand with you! pic.twitter.com/35B7wKWZzL
— RAINN (@RAINN) February 27, 2018
The 30-year-old actress has been a vocal backer of the #MeToo and Time’s Up campaigns that were implemented in the wake of the Hollywood sexual abuse scandal.
Wood is among other campaigners who are trying to get the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act – a civil rights and victims rights legislation signed into law by Congress and former president Barack Obama in 2016 – passed in all 50 states.
The bill, which currently has only been passed on a federal level, will give victims of sexual abuse access to counsellors, as well as efficient rape kits and clear explanations of their rights.
Wood described the bill as “a safety net that may help save someone’s life one day”.
Wood was on the panel alongside the chief executive of civil rights organisation Rise Amanda Nguyen and Rebecca O’Connor, the president of Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).