[Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. These things are prevalent in a lot of homes. Women really get a very, very unfair shake, even in this country. Nobody takes it seriously, the situation that they’re in. And I don’t think anybody took my mom seriously.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/magazine/charlize-theron-interview.html)
mexi-columbiBoy on
Thank you for posting this
Siouxsie_Que on
Grateful for hers and my mom for saving our lives! 💪
TriXter69 on
Good on her mom, guy got what he deserved
hamilton_morris on
You’ll never in a million years guess who thinks a history of domestic violence is not disqualifying for gun ownership.
Soft_Beyond_8205 on
You never really know what somebody has been through, even if it seems like they have everything. So many people carry trauma.
7chaliceZ on
Imagine being a little girl and thinking that you ‘rushing to the bathroom to pee’ was the tipping point of your father trying to murder you and your mother. Christ
Adicol on
Holy fuck.
vryvryberry on
i am genuinely in awe of how well and clearly she told her story, especially at the end when you can see the severity of the what she and her mom experienced that night replay in her mind. I’m sending all my love to everyone who’s gone through similar experiences as i know how terrifying and isolating abuse can be 💖✨
kitshobooutfit on
She’s very brave to tell that story. You can tell it was so difficult for her to talk about.
When she said “this is not an isolated story”, it made me think of Trevor Noah’s mother and the police insulting her and blowing her off when she tried to get help for domestic abuse. Trevor Noah described in his memoir Born A Crime that his stepbrother called him and said “Mom’s been shot”, and he immediately knew it was his stepfather who had shot her. (She did survive, almost miraculously, as she had been shot in the head.)
Mysticangeldc on
I knew this story, but hearing it from her is so powerful.
friskevision on
Props to the interviewer for not interrupting her or finishing sentences.
Agnosticologist on
It’s crazy how calmly she can tell this story. You’ve got to overcome a ton of trauma to be able to talk about an experience like that. Let alone in an interview. What a strong person she is.
Negative_Second_7976 on
These things are definitely prevalent, unfortunately. My father shot at my mother when she was pregnant with me and the bullet went through her Bible. The Bible caught it. Something I told myself I’d never repeat in my life after hearing it but I’m starting to think people need to hear stories like this.
eiregobrachtx92 on
It’s crazy how similar so many things in this story are to my mom and I dealing with my father. Just like she says though, it’s unfortunately not rare at all.
IndividualChart4193 on
She shot the brother, too. Strong woman who saved both their lives that night.
Thin-Honey892 on
Femicide is sky high right now. Please love yourself. All of you.
skinflakesasconfetti on
I watched this and immediately thought of the nice lady who lived across the street from my family, you could often hear her husband screaming at her, throwing things at her, and yes, sometimes beating her.
My parents, especially my dad, intervened many times, called the cops every time something went on that they could hear or see, gave witness statements, etc. They even let her stay with us a few times, and did what they could to encourage her to leave, but it was so different then in the 80’s, there were so much less resources, and so much harder to get a divorce.
One night, when my family was coming home from a family event they were fighting, and he dragged her out of the house and was literally beating her on the lawn, my dad told my mom to hurry up and get us kids in the house, he tehn started making his way over, the husband saw my dad, and let her go, having gotten into it with my dad before, he knew he didn’t want that, so he started coming towards my dad to I guess talk his way out of it, when she ran inside and came right back out with his gun and shot him in the chest.
I saw it all from the window, my dad rushing to stop her, her aiming at my dad til backed up and then ultimately advancing and firing 2 or 3 more bullets into her husband, her collapsing on the ground, I can hear her screams and sobs as if it was happening outside my window right now. My dad trying to comfort her, while I hear my mom on the phone with 911. I knew her life was forever changed, even if I was too young to understand exactly what I’d seen. He died on that lawn, before the cops ever arrived.
I don’t know much about what happened after, I was a kid, but heard bits and pieces, he’d caused her to lose a baby and that was the last straw along so she started a get away fund she’d hidden, which he found and spent and that is what started that fight that night, and I know my parents went to court and testified for her, I know she went to jail, and after that, I don’t know.
But I’ve thought about her a lot over the years, about the women like her, about how much the world and system has failed them, and it brings tears to my eyes.
The fact that this is still so common the world over, is something I can’t fully comprehend, and I can’t think about for too long.
Deep_shot on
Over the last year or so I’ve really realized the possibility of how scary it must be to be a woman in so many different situations, at least in this country, from what I see. It gives me a little bit of sense of guilt just being a man. It has definitely changed the way I behave in public as a large, possibly intimidating looking man. I can see it in women’s eyes that are by themselves that I have to approach. I feel like many, if not most of them seem to have the first thought in that first couple seconds of eye contact, “Is this guy a threat to me.” I try to be as disarming and affable as possible to show I’m not a threat, but it’s something that gets to me and I’m not even the victim here. I can’t imagine what solo women have to go through day to day. You ladies are brave.
Goosedukee on
Knowing South Africa, especially of that time, it’s unfortunately not surprising with the high rates of domestic violence, rather permissive gun ownership, and such a large drinking culture.
I’m glad that she and her mother were okay and that the country has gotten better in the years since.
VictorTheCutie on
Jesus Christ, that’s terrifying. Her mom (and her!) was brave AF.
kmorrisonismyhero on
This is so incredible and brave to share. Hell yes 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
[deleted] on
[removed]
Brainflower2020 on
My mouth was open in awe/shock this whole story- I had no idea about her family background!!
I’m still in disbelief 🫢!!! Wow!!! WOW!!
DonnaDespair on
Such a terrifying story! As a grown woman who grew up in the south around men who had access to Whiskey and guns combined with their anger it’s not a good situation.
mantis_tobaggan-md on
I never knew this happened to her. The way she tells the story you can see her living it again. I am seriously impressed by her success with such a traumatic childhood.
26 Comments
[Unfortunately, this is not an isolated story. These things are prevalent in a lot of homes. Women really get a very, very unfair shake, even in this country. Nobody takes it seriously, the situation that they’re in. And I don’t think anybody took my mom seriously.](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/magazine/charlize-theron-interview.html)
Thank you for posting this
Grateful for hers and my mom for saving our lives! 💪
Good on her mom, guy got what he deserved
You’ll never in a million years guess who thinks a history of domestic violence is not disqualifying for gun ownership.
You never really know what somebody has been through, even if it seems like they have everything. So many people carry trauma.
Imagine being a little girl and thinking that you ‘rushing to the bathroom to pee’ was the tipping point of your father trying to murder you and your mother. Christ
Holy fuck.
i am genuinely in awe of how well and clearly she told her story, especially at the end when you can see the severity of the what she and her mom experienced that night replay in her mind. I’m sending all my love to everyone who’s gone through similar experiences as i know how terrifying and isolating abuse can be 💖✨
She’s very brave to tell that story. You can tell it was so difficult for her to talk about.
When she said “this is not an isolated story”, it made me think of Trevor Noah’s mother and the police insulting her and blowing her off when she tried to get help for domestic abuse. Trevor Noah described in his memoir Born A Crime that his stepbrother called him and said “Mom’s been shot”, and he immediately knew it was his stepfather who had shot her. (She did survive, almost miraculously, as she had been shot in the head.)
I knew this story, but hearing it from her is so powerful.
Props to the interviewer for not interrupting her or finishing sentences.
It’s crazy how calmly she can tell this story. You’ve got to overcome a ton of trauma to be able to talk about an experience like that. Let alone in an interview. What a strong person she is.
These things are definitely prevalent, unfortunately. My father shot at my mother when she was pregnant with me and the bullet went through her Bible. The Bible caught it. Something I told myself I’d never repeat in my life after hearing it but I’m starting to think people need to hear stories like this.
It’s crazy how similar so many things in this story are to my mom and I dealing with my father. Just like she says though, it’s unfortunately not rare at all.
She shot the brother, too. Strong woman who saved both their lives that night.
Femicide is sky high right now. Please love yourself. All of you.
I watched this and immediately thought of the nice lady who lived across the street from my family, you could often hear her husband screaming at her, throwing things at her, and yes, sometimes beating her.
My parents, especially my dad, intervened many times, called the cops every time something went on that they could hear or see, gave witness statements, etc. They even let her stay with us a few times, and did what they could to encourage her to leave, but it was so different then in the 80’s, there were so much less resources, and so much harder to get a divorce.
One night, when my family was coming home from a family event they were fighting, and he dragged her out of the house and was literally beating her on the lawn, my dad told my mom to hurry up and get us kids in the house, he tehn started making his way over, the husband saw my dad, and let her go, having gotten into it with my dad before, he knew he didn’t want that, so he started coming towards my dad to I guess talk his way out of it, when she ran inside and came right back out with his gun and shot him in the chest.
I saw it all from the window, my dad rushing to stop her, her aiming at my dad til backed up and then ultimately advancing and firing 2 or 3 more bullets into her husband, her collapsing on the ground, I can hear her screams and sobs as if it was happening outside my window right now. My dad trying to comfort her, while I hear my mom on the phone with 911. I knew her life was forever changed, even if I was too young to understand exactly what I’d seen. He died on that lawn, before the cops ever arrived.
I don’t know much about what happened after, I was a kid, but heard bits and pieces, he’d caused her to lose a baby and that was the last straw along so she started a get away fund she’d hidden, which he found and spent and that is what started that fight that night, and I know my parents went to court and testified for her, I know she went to jail, and after that, I don’t know.
But I’ve thought about her a lot over the years, about the women like her, about how much the world and system has failed them, and it brings tears to my eyes.
The fact that this is still so common the world over, is something I can’t fully comprehend, and I can’t think about for too long.
Over the last year or so I’ve really realized the possibility of how scary it must be to be a woman in so many different situations, at least in this country, from what I see. It gives me a little bit of sense of guilt just being a man. It has definitely changed the way I behave in public as a large, possibly intimidating looking man. I can see it in women’s eyes that are by themselves that I have to approach. I feel like many, if not most of them seem to have the first thought in that first couple seconds of eye contact, “Is this guy a threat to me.” I try to be as disarming and affable as possible to show I’m not a threat, but it’s something that gets to me and I’m not even the victim here. I can’t imagine what solo women have to go through day to day. You ladies are brave.
Knowing South Africa, especially of that time, it’s unfortunately not surprising with the high rates of domestic violence, rather permissive gun ownership, and such a large drinking culture.
I’m glad that she and her mother were okay and that the country has gotten better in the years since.
Jesus Christ, that’s terrifying. Her mom (and her!) was brave AF.
This is so incredible and brave to share. Hell yes 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
[removed]
My mouth was open in awe/shock this whole story- I had no idea about her family background!!
I’m still in disbelief 🫢!!! Wow!!! WOW!!
Such a terrifying story! As a grown woman who grew up in the south around men who had access to Whiskey and guns combined with their anger it’s not a good situation.
I never knew this happened to her. The way she tells the story you can see her living it again. I am seriously impressed by her success with such a traumatic childhood.