Salma Hayek leaped at the chance to support a domestic violence campaign, after witnessing abuse as a child.

Hayek was shocked to see her father attacked after he had tried to intervene in a fight in the streets between a husband and wife.

The actress - who is spokesmodel for a new V-Day campaign - tells Glamour magazine, "The first time I saw domestic violence firsthand was when I was in Mexico, taking a walk with my family, and we came upon a man beating up this woman.

"My father intervened and fought the man and won. I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, my father is a hero.’ Then the woman turned around and started beating up my father. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. After that I became very intrigued with what makes a woman stay in an abusive relationship. How does her spirit break?"