Nicole Kidman has penned an open letter speaking out against domestic abuse and gender inequality.
The mum-of-four, who plays a domestic abuse victim in TV show Little Big Lies, wrote the letter for Porter magazine’s Incredible Women issue.
Nicole is proud of her stance on feminism and has been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women in the past. As part of her work with the UN, Nicole met with women who had survived violence and domestic abuse.
The actress said she felt obliged to be a voice for these women because their stories had “shaken her to the core” and "changed her forever".
Tackling the thorny issue of gender inequality, 50-year-old Nicole wrote: “The idea that women and men are equal is part of my DNA.
"I was raised by a strong feminist mother and a fully supportive father, so it never occurred to me that I should be at a disadvantage because I was born a girl”.
Despite this, Nicole still faced obstacles in the male-dominated film industry.
“Each of us, in ways big or small, will come across challenges, often arising out of the fact that we are women in a still unequal world. It has happened to me; I am sure it has to you,” she explained.
"In those moments, I like to think of those who have my back, who lifted me up and encouraged me to believe in myself. And I think of the inspiring solidarity I experienced when meeting with survivors of violence during my travels for UN Women”.
She encouraged other women to reach out and support each other when faced with difficult situations.
Nicole Kidman just wrote a powerful open letter about domestic violence: https://t.co/g88Lf3dLNR pic.twitter.com/b1v9Mj7LyP
— Glamour (@glamourmag) September 30, 2017
“More than ever I am aware of the need to support and celebrate each other ... Imagine: if you can fall back on the 3.5 billion sisters, and the many good men who are with us, what could we possibly not achieve?”
It’s not the first time Nicole has been vocal about the issue of domestic violence.
During her Emmy acceptance speech for Little Big Lies, Nicole said: "!We've shone a light on domestic abuse. It is a complicated, insidious disease.
"It exists far more than we allow ourselves to know. It is filled with shame and secrecy. And by you acknowledging me with this award, it shines a light on it even more. So, thank you, thank you, thank you. I bow down to you”.
