Letoya Makhene opens up about 'abuse': I was so crushed inside

Letoya Makhene has found her voice after a turbulent past of alleged abuse, and wants to inspire women to take control of their lives.

The actress and singer was a guest on Enhle Mbali's Sincerely Yours talk show recently, where she spoke about allegedly being physically, mentally and emotionally abused by a former partner.

She said the relationship took such a toll on her that she lost her voice and confidence. It became so severe that she struggled to look people in the eye.

“I remember finding myself talking, engaging with an adult and always looking away, shrinking and not wanting to establish eye contact with people because I was so crushed inside.”

She said she was constantly told to know her place as a woman and acknowledge her inferiority.

She previously touched on the alleged abuse in an interview with True Love magazine.

“I had to take care of the household and that made him very insecure. We began arguing, then things escalated to physical abuse,” she told the publication in 2015.

The star left Generations: The Legacy earlier this year to spend more time with her children.

She welcomed a baby in 2017, which saw her take a break from screens for several months. When she returned last year she told TshisaLIVE that she experienced separation anxiety.