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Blake Jenner slammed for 'domestic abuse' apology: A look at his relationship with Supergirl's Melissa Benoist

'@blake_Jenner is this is him. He is an abuser, he abused his Ex wife multiple times. It took him 11 months to come forward after Melissa's video. and when he does he blames the victim'

Blake Jenner addressed ex-wife Melissa Benoist's accusations of domestic violence and claimed that he also experienced abuse during their marriage. Jenner shared an extensive statement to Instagram on Thursday, October 8, that finally addressed the charges Benoist made against him in November 2019. His statement came a few days after Benoist welcomed a baby boy with now-husband Chris Wood on September 25, 2020.

“Over the past eleven months, I have been thinking about how to address a personal situation made public in late-2019,” the post begins. “I take full responsibility and accountability for the hurt that I inflicted during my relationship with my past partner — emotionally, mentally and yes, physically. Two years prior to the end of our relationship, there was a time where my past partner and I were in an argument that escalated, and in a moment of frustration, while I was standing in the hallway and she was in our bedroom, I threw my phone aimlessly and it hit my former partner in her face."

“It’s a moment that I will regret for the rest of my life. If I could do anything to take it back, I would. Without absolving myself of any responsibility, it is important to understand that there was mental, emotional and physical abuse inflicted from both ends … I have thought long and hard about whether or not to speak out about the pain that was inflicted onto me throughout the course of this relationship by my former partner; and I have come to the conclusion that yes, it is important for me to do so," the post read.

Jenner alleges that he was “made to pass on numerous jobs” because of Benoist’s jealousy and “discouraged from and threatened to not develop relationships with and take photos with female co-stars at professional events”. He claims that Benoist threatened self-harm and verbally, emotionally and physically abused him, including in a shower incident that “[left] me with a traumatic injury that I do not want to delve into at this time”.

“There are also discrepancies between the recollections of our relationship. its timeline and the things that took place over the years. To get into the specifics would not only be revealing things that I believe my former partner would want respected as they pertain to her personal life, but would inevitably turn this into a she-said-he-said mudslinging match of sorts — and that is the last thing I believe anyone wants. I think what I’m trying to get at is that this relationship — in all of its toxicity and turbulence — was the product of two broken people over the span of years," he said.

He wraps up with another set of apologies, both to “whoever is reading this” and to Benoist — who is not named in the statement — adding that “I can unequivocally say that I know who I am and know that I have grown and learned from the mistakes I have made throughout a long period of self-examination and work, but very much understand that I can always learn and continually grow.”

As soon as the statement was posted by Jenner, people started slamming him. One Internet user wrote, "Blake Jenner, you’ve had since November of last year. You chose now to say something after your ex-wife whom you’ve abused physically, emotionally, mentally had spoken up about your domestic violence in your relationship. After she just had a baby with her now loving husband." While one angry Netizen wrote, "For everyone who doesn't know who @blake_Jenner is this is him. He is an abuser, he abused his Ex wife multiple times. It took him 11 months to come forward after Melissa's video. 11 months. and when he does he blames the victim.."

With #IStandWithMelissa another one said, "Blake Jenner waits nearly a year to try and discredit Melissa and pretend he was the one being abused, as is the commonality amongst domestic abusers and turns off the comments so nobody can call him out on it. Thank god she got out and got away from him. #IStandWithMelissa." While one pointed out, "Blake Jenner finally addresses the fact that he abused his ex wife melissa benoist after she not only gave birth to her baby, but also after almost a year of melissa talking about him abusing her."

One netizen shared a 2019 video, where Benoist made all the claims, the video was posted by one of her fans, the post read, "Melissa Benoist telling the real story behind the cover they made up to hide the domestic abuse she was being victim of by Blake Jenner is heartbreaking. It’s even sadder watching her tell Jimmy Fallon the “klutzy” story knowing what she really was going through."

Jenner and Benoist met during the shooting of 'Glee'. Jenner used to play the character of Ryder Lynn, whereas Benoist played the role of Marley Rose. Ryder and Marley struck up a romance on the show while also being part of a love triangle with fellow character, Jake Puckerman (Jacob Artist). While the two ultimately left the series during Season 6, they got engaged while filming the fifth season in 2013. In 2015, it was revealed that Melissa and Blake were married, but she later went on to say that the couple had wed long before their announcement. She was also cast in Supergirl that year. It was later confirmed that they actually swapped rings in 2013, shortly after publicizing their engagement.

But, by December of 2016, the couple had split up due to "irreconcilable differences", and their divorce was finalized by December of 2017. The two never subsequently commented on their divorce. Melissa began dating Chris in 2017 and in 2019 they tied the knot.