Country star and actress Jana Kramer buried her domestic violence experiences for a decade out of fear she'd be judged by fans.
The Why Ya Wanna singer has only recently opened up about her abusive short-lived marriage to ex-husband Michael Gambino, which ended in 2004 after he choked her unconscious during a row and was jailed, and now she's happy she went public with the drama - because her story is helping others.
"I was afraid to tell my story," Kramer tells People Country. "There were about 10 years that I didn’t speak about it because I was afraid people would judge me, or they would try to turn it around. That’s how a lot of women (who) are in abusive relationships feel - that it’s their fault."
Jana claims the abuse began not long after she married Gambino, revealing she was a victim of frequent beatings.
"There are so many women who’ve said, 'Thank you for coming out and talking about your story, you’re a survivor', and they share their stories," she adds.
"Some people say, ‘This is my first time sharing', or, ‘You’re giving a voice to something that shouldn’t be held inside, because that’s not going to help you grow in the future'. Whether it’s one or 20 people, it’s just really nice that I’ve given people the opportunity to share their voice. To be around to share it is a cool thing."
The singer has since married two more times. She split from her third husband, football player Mike Caussin, a year ago (Aug16). Jana was also married to actor Johnathon Schaech from 2010 to 2011. She and Caussin have a daughter, named Jolie Rae, who was born in January, 2016.
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