Australian tennis great Jelena Dokic has given a further insight into the horrific abuse she copped during her career, sharing a chilling pair of images which show bruising days after a beating.
Dokic rapidly rose to elite status on the women’s tour at the turn of the century, reaching No.4 in the world in 2002, before her career took a downturn. She won five of her six singles titles by the age of 20, but won just one more for the remainder of her career.
The 39-year-old has made no secret of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her controversial father and coach Damir Dokic throughout her career.
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Dokic detailed the abuse she suffered in her book Unbreakable, but has now released a set of images which show the brutal aftermath of one of the beatings from her father.
The tennis star took to her personal Instagram page to show a series of images, one from the 2000 US Open when she was just 17 years of age where her shins are covered with bruises from a beating.
Dokic said she was left “sad and angry” after speaking at a domestic and family violence event.
“Swollen, bruised and bleeding shins from being beaten and kicked all night with sharp shoes right into my shins for losing a match,” she wrote in a caption accompanying the images.
“These images were taken more than two weeks later and I was still heavily bruised. I was 17 years old.
“To this day I still have sensitive and bumpy shins from this beating.
“From every wound there is a scar and these are mine. I have survived but not every woman and girl has or will.
“And that’s the sad reality.”
Dokic detailed some of the horrific statistics of domestic violence against women, saying one woman a week is killed from domestic violence in Australia, while one in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.
“The more that we don’t talk about it, the more we shy away from the issue, the more we are abandoning women and girls,” she continued.
“For those reading this that might be experiencing abuse or domestic violence just know I get you.
“I know how scared and afraid you are.
“Know that you have incredible strength and courage.
“Nothing is your fault.
“For those that can please be there for those that need help and support. Don’t shy away from them and don’t abandon them.
“Coming from someone that has been there, abandoned and scared to death please don’t turn your back. Women and girls need you and your help.”
Dokic also took a swipe at those who label women who speak out about domestic violence as “attention seeking”.
“WOMEN AND GIRLS DIE EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THIS JUDGEMENT AND SHAME,” she wrote.
“AND WHEN IT HAPPENS IT’S UNFORTUNATELY TOO LATE.
“WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT SHAMES AND STIGMATISES TALKING ABOUT ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BUT THEN WE MOURN THE KILLINGS DUE TO VIOLENCE.
“Let’s do more for the future generations. For our daughters, sisters and all the girls and women around the world to make this a better and safer place for them to be happy, healthy and free of violence.
“I will never stop fighting and speaking up about this issue especially for those that can’t and don’t have a voice.”
Dokic has remained a prominent figure in the tennis world since her retirement in 2014.
She is a regular expert commentator on Nine’s coverage of the Australian Open and often conducts the on-court interviews with players after matches.
National Domestic Violence Service: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you are in immediate danger call triple zero (000).
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