Veteran film and TV actor Patrick Stewart recalled his father’s domestic violence during a recent convention appearance.
An audience member at Texas event Comicpalooza thanked the Yorkshire-born performer for an earlier speech , Ninenews reports.
Heather Skye told Stewart, best known for his role in Star Trek The Next Generation:
“That speech was really moving to me and it helped me through my own turmoils a little bit.”
She then asked him what he was most proud of beside his acting career. Stewart discussed his work with charities supporting victims of domestic violence.
“I do what I do in my mother’s name because I couldn’t help her then. Now I can.”
Stewart then noticed that the women was becoming upset and gave her a hug, saying:
“You never have to go through that again, you’re safe now”.
Skye told the actor:
“One thing I’ve noticed is there’s still that shaming of the women. (Your) speech really just finally let me say it’s OK that that happened and I can move on and heal.”
Stewart agreeing, remembering the way his mother was blamed for his father’s violence:
“As a child, I heard in my home doctors and ambulance men say, ‘Mrs Stewart, you must have done something to provoke him’, ‘Mrs Stewart, it takes two to make an argument’ ” Wrong, wrong. My mother did nothing to provoke that and even if she had, violence is never, ever a choice that a man should make.”
The remark drew applause from the audience.
Stewart, now 73, was born in Mirfield, near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. His father Alfred saw active service during the Second World War and later suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. His mother, Gladys Barrowclough, was a textile worker.
The state enables DV when it sends men to fight wars and lends no help to screwed up combatants when they return back home.
Good for him opening up on this. I am not saying I agree with this subject as an excuse to chuck men out of the house by default. I think he has a point though I am not sure the issue still exists as I think their are now escape routes and no stigma where there may have been in the past.
I also think Paul’s comment is valid and true. Good post Paul.