Actress Taraji P. Henson
Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson revealed her intimate experience with domestic violence in a Sept. 8 interview with MSNBC.com.
In discussing her new film {No Good Deeds} and its parallels to the trending news topic of violence against women, Henson revealed she had been the victim of domestic violence.
In the new thriller, Henson stars as a devoted wife and stay-at-home mother who has to fight for her family’s survival after a seemingly charming ex-convict, played by Idris Alba, invades her home and terrorizes her family.
The “Think Like a Man” star said the film could empower women to fight back when faced with adversity.
“I just think it (No Good Deed) is an example of: ‘You don’t have to be the victim; you can always fight back.’ I’m fighting back. I’ve been the victim of domestic abuse,” the single mother said. “Sometimes you have to know when to walk away. But, if it’s life or death you have every right to fight back.
“I think sometimes we get a little overwhelmed by men’s size, but there are always weapons, honey,” she added with a laugh.
Henson also weighed in on the video released by TMZ Sports on Monday showing former Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his then-fiancée Janay Palmer and dragging her unconscious body out of an Atlantic City casino elevator in February.
“I saw it. It was hard to watch,” said the Washington, D.C. native of the video that detonated earlier this week, sending ripples throughout the NFL, the media and American society.
The controversy raised discussions about domestic violence and its impact on society.
“Violence against women—that’s something that has been going on since the beginning of time…. You know women, we’re really powerful; we can give life. And I think that sometimes that intimidates some men so they feel like they have to make us feel inferior to them,” Henson said.
The actress agreed that professional institutions ought to adapt a zero-tolerance policy against domestic violence as it would “send a message,” but she also warned that women should not practice violence against men, either.
“Women have to learn that they have to keep their hands to themselves too, because when you match masculine energy with masculine energy, that’s what you’re going to get,” Henson said. “But at the end of the day, you still teach your sons to walk away, because it’s a girl.”
Overall, though, society has to get on the same page about the need to stop violence against women, Henson said, and the current exposure on the topic is necessary.
“We do need to talk about it because it’s happening more often than not. It’s happening in a lot of homes and you never know. You never know at work who you’re sitting next to and what they’re going through at home,” she said.