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Luke Lewis's harrowing experience with domestic violence

Cronulla great Luke Lewis has described the night he watched his mother being dragged around by her hair in a disturbing insight into his childhood.

In a bid to help others speak out and break the domestic violence cycle, the retired NRL star and White Ribbon ambassador has detailed a shocking incident in which his mother was brutally assaulted by her partner at the time.

Lewis touched on his tumultuous childhood in his recently released book Cool Hand Luke Lewis but went into further detail on Friday, hoping it helped encourage others to find the courage to end toxic relationships.

“There were a lot of bad times, but there’s one night in particular that has always stayed with me,” he told PlayersVoice website.

“This person hit Mum right in front of me. She fell to the ground and he pulled her around the lounge room by her hair, threw her into a room and slammed the door shut. I can still remember her screams.”

Lewis added: “He was ripping the place up. It was like a home invasion, but the crime was being committed by someone who lived with us.

“The walls were getting smashed, doors were broken, glasses were being thrown around and broken all over the kitchen. It was an awful night. There were a few like that.”

Retired NRL star Luke Lewis has laid bare his distressing childhood memories of domestic violence. Pic: Getty
Retired NRL star Luke Lewis has laid bare his distressing childhood memories of domestic violence. Pic: Getty

Lewis, who retired at the end of the 2018 season, said he could not sleep over at friends’ places as a kid for years because he was nervous about leaving his mum and sister alone with the man.

Lewis said the only person he told about the violence as a kid was his principal at Doonside Public School, in Sydney’s west, who provided valuable emotional support.

But Lewis said he largely bottled up his trauma and did not address it until he began ambassador work with White Ribbon as an NRL player.

“I was only little, but it still killed me that I couldn’t step in and stop this person from hurting my mum,” he wrote.

Lewis said their nightmare ended abruptly when he came home from school one day and the violent partner was gone.

His mother is now happily married.

“I’ve realised there’s no shame in sharing my story,” Lewis said.

“There doesn’t have to be a ripple effect with domestic violence passing on from one generation to the next – we have the power to stop it.

“I also hope that it helps people find the courage to leave toxic relationships.

“As difficult as it is to walk away from a violent partner, staying is so much worse, especially for the kids.”

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