Sarah Hyland is channeling her painful past into a mission of purpose.
The Modern Family alum opened up about her experience with an abusive relationship, hoping her story will encourage domestic violence survivors to feel less alone.
In an interview with Variety published on Oct. 24, she discussed how lingering memories can affect survivors, describing the toll such experiences leave on the “abused place of your soul.”
“It’s almost like you don’t wanna talk about it anymore,” she shared. “You want it to be done, and that’s that. I completely understand the dissociation pattern of it.”
Sarah, now 33 and married to Bachelor Nation star Wells Adams since 2022, acknowledged that painful moments sometimes resurface, even years later.
“I don’t know if that part of any woman will ever be fully healed from that,” she added. “It’s something that kind of scars her soul.”
Sarah believes that advocating for survivors is a step toward embracing that scar with “love instead of hating it and ignoring it.”
By speaking out, she hopes to dismantle the isolation that abusers often impose on their victims.
“For thousands of years now, we didn’t talk about it,” she said. “If we talk about it more, more women—and men and just human beings in abusive relationships—will feel more comfortable to talk about it with their loved ones.”
In 2014, Sarah obtained a restraining order against ex-boyfriend Matt Prokop, accusing him of physical and verbal abuse.
She credited her Modern Family co-star Julie Bowen for helping her escape the toxic relationship.
Julie recently praised Sarah’s strength, telling Variety, “Without adversity, there can be no way to define one’s character… She has met each moment with determination, grace, and vulnerability.”
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