Amid the public outcry over sportscaster Tony Veitch, former Real Housewife of Auckland Anne Batley Burton has shared her own experience with domestic abuse.
Known by some as "The Champagne Lady", the reality television star told RadioLIVE Your Sunday host Ryan Bridge that she believes Veitch deserves a second chance with his television career.
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The radio sports host was convicted of injuring former girlfriend Kristin Dunne-Powell with reckless disregard in 2009 and has had to cancel a return to TV, due to public opposition.
As his violent past returns to haunt him, Batley Burton says sometimes "really good people" can struggle with violent tendencies.
"I remember years ago, when I was much younger, I had a boyfriend," she told RadioLIVE.
"He was wonderful - so lovely, so charming, so caring, - you know, just wonderful in so many respects, not just with me, but towards everyone. [He was] so caring, but he obviously had a problem.
"He would have a few drinks and just absolutely fly off the handle about something. You know, I'd be too friendly towards someone or whatever, and he would go ballistic, shouting and yelling at me, [and] pounding the wall."
Batley Burton says the unnamed ex-boyfriend never hit her, but she was worried he would, as he punched the pillow next to her and knocked things off the table.
"The sad thing is the relationship did end up going for quite a long time, because he had so many good qualities... about 90 percent of him was a really good person."
She said that she could see "how things go badly wrong" for some people.
"Sometimes, it's because people have had too much to drink and it triggers something that's lying low in your system. We need to fix that.
"I stayed in it, because I knew how much he loved me and that he really cared. He had a huge insecurity complex - he was always scared that I was going to leave, and then he'd just fly off and he couldn't cope."
Batley Burton said he was "always so sorry the next day".
"Because I really cared about him as well, you always hope things are going to change. Unfortunately, in certain situations, it doesn't ever change.
"I lost so much weight, I had tummy problems... I eventually thought 'I have to get out of this, it's killing me'."
Your Sunday with Ryan Bridge airs 10am-2pm Sundays on RadioLIVE.
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