Hayden Panettiere's Ex Brian Hickerson Arrested and Charged with Felony Assault

A source close to the actress tells PEOPLE the star is "taking this incredibly brave step as part of her recovery process."

"She has been undergoing successful treatment for alcohol abuse issues and is focused on healing, sobriety and recovery," the source says. "She wants to be honest about what happened in the hope that it may help someone else who is dealing with emotional abuse, intimidation or physical violence."

"This is a turning point for her as she stands up for herself, her family and the many other people impacted by intimate partner violence," the source adds.

A source confirmed to PEOPLE on Wednesday that Panettiere had filed to register an out-of-state restraining order against Hickerson in California.

The filing came nearly five months after Hickerson was arrested on Valentine's Day in Jackson, Wyoming. He was charged with domestic battery and interference with a cop, both misdemeanor charges in Wyoming, a spokesperson for the Teton County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE at the time. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Hickerson allegedly punched Panettiere "with a closed fist on the right side of her face."

Hickerson reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charge in April. A jury trial was reportedly scheduled for September.

In May 2019, Hickerson was arrested on a domestic violence charge and released on bail. According to the felony complaint obtained by PEOPLE at the time, prosecutors had alleged Hickerson "willfully inflicted corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon Hayden P."

He pleaded not guilty to one count of felony domestic violence later that month; the case was dismissed at the end of September. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said at the time, "Our office was unable to proceed because we could not secure a material witness."

Panettiere and Hickerson started dating after reports circulated that she and then-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko had split in August 2018. Panettiere and Klitschko, 44, share daughter Kaya, 5, who lives in Ukraine with her father.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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