Linda Evangelista has claimed that she was abused by her ex-husband Gérald Marie.
During an appearance on the Apple TV+ documentary The Super Models, the Canadian catwalk star, 58, opened up about her marriage to Marie, 73, who was accused of raping multiple women in 2020.
"I learned that maybe I was in the wrong relationship," Evangelista said of their marriage. "It's easier said than done to leave an abusive relationship. I understand that concept, because I lived it. If it was just a matter of saying, 'I want a divorce, see ya'... it doesn't work that way."
She added, "He knew not to touch my face, not to touch the money-maker, you know?"
Evangelista and Marie were married from 1987 until they split in 1993.
The supermodel continued, "I married him when I was 22 and I got out when I was 27 and he let me out as long as he got everything. But I was safe and I got my freedom."
Marie was accused of raping and sexually assaulting more than a dozen models in the 1980s and 1990s. Evangelista stated that she believed the women's claims and praised their "courage and strength".
The fashion icon shared, "Thanks to the power of all these women coming forward, God bless all of them, it gave me the courage now to speak... I would love that justice be served. I would love for a**holes like that to think twice and be afraid and I would love women to know that they're not alone."
The former model agency boss denied all of the claims, stating that he "has never committed the slightest act of violence".
French prosecutors closed the investigation on the alleged crimes due to the statute of limitations in February 2023.
