When Dennis Waterman claimed he'd "lashed out" at ex-wife Rula Lenska because she was clever and could "argue well", one thing was clear.

Domestic violence could happen to anyone - whoever they are.

To commemorate Peace Day, which is aiming to increase awareness of the issue, we put together a list of high profile women who have experienced - and spoken out against - this horrible crime.

Peace One Day founder Jeremy Gilley told The Huffington Post UK the day was aiming to raise awareness.


Jamelia's Thank You is about her experience of Domestic Violence


"Most violence is going to happen in a domestic setting. This is not just about people with guns. I hope there will be no violence against men, women or children on this day," he said.

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From Rula, who railed against Waterman, asking why he couldn't take responsibility for what he did, to Jamelia, who wrote the 2004 song Thank You about an abusive ex, she said she feels stronger now as a result of her experiences, take a look at who have spoken out against the crime.

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  • Rula Lenska

    Dennis Waterman claimed he'd "lashed out" at ex-wife Rula Lenska because she was clever and could "argue well." She said her former husband needed to face up to what he'd done wrong. "He's still not taking responsibility. It's: "It's not my fault, no, it's because she's this and she's that." "Perhaps he imagines that in the eyes of the people watching, it's a rather heroic admission. "<a href=" " target="_hplink">Yeah, I slapped my wife around and I'm really ashamed.""</a>

  • Charlize Theron

    Charlize Theron's father was killed by her mother in self defence in 1991. The oscar-winning actress now funds rape crisis centres in south Africa.

  • Christina Aguilera

    Before becoming a pop superstar and actress Christina Aguilera grew up in a house where there was, in her own words "so much domestic violence." "I think the reason that my drive was so strong and I was so passionate about music was because I grew up in an environment of domestic violence," she said.

  • Tina Turner

    Tina Turner was regularly beaten by her husband Ike, who she left in 1976. She hid from him for six months, with just 36c to her name. The superstar's career eventually picked up again but after she left her husband of 14 years Turner had to live on food stamps.

  • Jamelia

    Jamelia, who wrote the 2004 song Thank You about an abusive ex, has said she feels stronger now as a result of her experiences.

  • Beverley Knight

    Women's aid patron Beverly Knight has said she was a victim of domestic abuse. She told the Telegraph an ex-boyfriend had grabbed <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/7353673/Beverley-Knight-I-was-abused-by-my-boyfriends.html" target="_hplink">her around the throat and slapped her</a>. "I went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife and waved it in his face, and said: 'Don't you ever do that to me again.'"

  • Rihanna

    Rihanna has said she thought <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/16/rihanna-oprah-chris-brown_n_1790317.html" target="_hplink">her ex boyfriend Chris Brown "needed help" after he beat her in 2009.</a> "As angry as I was, as angry and hurt and betrayed, I just felt like he made that mistake because he needed help ... and who's going to help him?" she told Oprah.

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  • Honor Blackman

    <a href="http://www.womensaid.org.uk/page.asp?section=00010001001000060002&sectionTitle=About+the+ACT+campaign " target="_hplink"><em>Women's Aid</em></a> won an award for their domestic violence awareness campaign, which saw celebrities including Anna Friel, Fern Britton, Jemma Kidd and Honor Blackman made-over to appear as if they had been beaten.

  • Clare Wood

    In September the <a href="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/clares-law-pilot" target="_hplink">Home Office began piloting a Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, known as Clare's Law</a>. It was so named to honour Clare Wood, who was strangled and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend. It proposes to give women "the right to know" if a partner has a history of domestic violence. The scheme came into being after campaigning to protect women from Michael Brown, the father of the murder victim.

  • Lauren Luke

    Self-taught make-up artist <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/panacea81" target="_hplink">Lauren Luke</a> appeared before her YouTube subscribers in July looking battered and bruised. While the bruises were fake, <a href="http://refuge.org.uk/lauren/ " target="_hplink">the video, made in collaboration with UK charity Refuge sent a clear message to women across the globe: "65 per cent of women who suffer domestic violence keep it hidden. Don't cover it up." </a>http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d-XHPHRlWZk

  • Keira Knightley

    Atonement actress <a href="http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic-violence-press-information.asp?itemid=2062&itemTitle=Keira+Knightley+stars+in+powerful+domestic+violence+campaign+for+Women's+Aid&section=0001000100150001&sectionTitle=Press+releases " target="_hplink">Keira Knightley starred in a 2009 Women's Aid ad</a> which saw her punched and kicked to the ground. Shot by Atonement director Joe Wright, the clip was deemed "too violent" and was censored before it was shown on TV.

  • Chris Brown

    An 'unofficial' campaign was carried out against singer Chris Brown, who found his latest album, <em>Fortune</em>, slapped with stickers reading: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/chris-brown-warning-stickers-do-not-buy-this-man-beats-women-hmv_n_1884927.html" target="_hplink">"WARNING: Do not buy this album! This man beats women!"</a>