Ruthie Bolton: Ex-WNBA Star Victim of Domestic Violence; "It's a Very Lonely Place to Be"

Former Olympian and WNBA star Ruthie Bolton used the espnW Women + Sports Summit on Thursday as her platform to drop a bombshell: She was once the victim of domestic violence.

"I didn't know whether victory was leaving or staying." Olympian @RuthieBolton525 tells her story: https://t.co/be73XSlJoF #espnWsummit #DVAM

— espnW (@espnW) October 10, 2014

Breaking down in tears in front of a packed room, Bolton admitted in public for the first time that her ex-husband was abusive and that she used to live every day in fear of what he may do to her.

"I was living in an abusive marriage," Bolton said, according to ESPN. "I could do whatever I wanted on the basketball court, I could defend an opponent, or hit a big shot, but I couldn't get a grasp on my personal life."

Very few people in her life knew what was going on. She kept her coaches and teammates in the dark, though she did open up to some of her closest friends and family members.

"It's a very lonely place to be," she said.

Those that did know about the affair urged Bolton to leave the relationship, but she says it wasn't that easy.

"The more people would tell me to leave, the more it made me want to stay, the more I was going to fight to make it work. I felt like I had to fix it," Bolton said. "I fought for my marriage like I fought for my career. I felt like I could make it work."

Bolton did end up leaving the relationship eventually, and she is now happily remarried and has two young children.

As for why she's speaking out now?

"Timing is everything," Bolton said. "I'm not speaking as a victim. I don't have resentments. I've prayed for him to have the best in his life. But I want people to see that abuse doesn't have a color or an age or a status. I lived through it and I'm glad I lived to tell about it."

She added, "I feel a sense of relief. I had that wall up for a long time. I'm happy I did it and I just hope it will help someone."