Nicole Kidman speaks out against domestic violence

Nicole Kidman testified before a US congressional panel on violence against women, saying showbiz may have "played a bad role" by depicting women as weak sex objects.

The Aussie actress spoke before a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Development Fund for Women, called Unifem, to promote the International Violence Against Women Act.

The Oscar-winner, however, added that though Hollywood probably contributed to the problem; she chose to stay away from those kinds of demeaning roles.

"I can't be responsible for all of Hollywood, but I can certainly be responsible for my own career," the Daily Express quoted her as saying.

The star further reminded the Congress about the need to pump in more funds to tackle the situation, adding: "We need the money."