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Fitness blogger reveals domestic violence

An Irish blogger and fitness advocate has stunned her thousands of followers with a video post revealing the reality of domestic violence.

Video of Emma Murphy's facial injuries shocked her fans as she told of being hit and emotionally abused by her partner of three and a half years.

The video was posted to her Facebook page and has now been viewed more than 1.7 million times and shared around 35,000 times.

A tearful Ms Murphy, 26, said she had contemplated "long and hard" about whether to post the video.

She tells how last year she suspected that her partner had cheated on her and his subsequent denial.

A woman later came forward and told Ms Murphy she was pregnant.

Video of Emma Murphy's facial injuries shocked  her fans as she told of being hit and emotionally abused by her partner of three and a half years.  Photo: Facebook
Video of Emma Murphy's facial injuries shocked her fans as she told of being hit and emotionally abused by her partner of three and a half years. Photo: Facebook

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When Emma confronted her partner again last week over suspected infidelity, he punched Ms Murphy in the face, she said.

"It wasn't the first time," she said. "Last year, he split my head open at an event and prior to that he punched me as well. I had a black eye.

"For the past year and a half, I've been told I'm paranoid, I'm a psycho, I'm nuts, my insecurities will kill me one day.

"After Friday's events I've finally realised that no, this is not acceptable. No man has any right to put his hand on a woman.

"No man at all, no matter how big big, how small, no matter where you're from it is not right to raise a hand to a woman.

"It's only now that I've realised that. I've had the courage to walk away."

Ms Murphy said she had finally found the courage to turn to family and friends after realising that even one incident of domestic violence was unacceptable.

"But to be made to feel that it is acceptable is even worse," she said.

"To be mentally tortured and told you're paranoid or insecure, that's mental torture."

Ms Murphy, who described herself now as a single mother of two, said her family's lives had been torn apart.

She urged anyone in a domestic violence situation to turn to loved ones for support, especially if children were involved.

"More often than not, if it happens once, it will happen again," she said.

Campaigns against domestic violence have gained momentum.

Last month, campaigner and Australian of the Year Rosie Batty marked the 13th birthday of her late son Luke with a new campaign that tells victims of domestic violence they are "Never Alone".

If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. For more information about a service in your state or local area download the DAISY App in the App Store or Google Play.

Morning news break – July 7