AceShowbiz - "Family Ties" actress Meredith Baxter has sensationally accused her ex-husband and former co-star David Birney of assaulting her during their 15-year marriage. The veteran TV star has wed three times and shocked fans when she 'came out' as a lesbian in 2009, revealing she had found love with another woman, building contractor Nancy Locke. And now she's back to shock again after claiming her marriage to her "Bridget Loves Birney" co-star was blighted by domestic violence in her explosive new memoir, entitled "Untied".

On Tuesday, March 1, she returned to the U.S. TV news show where she revealed all about her sexuality two years ago, to open up about her alleged abusive marriage. When asked during "The Today Show" chat why she didn't leave her husband, the 63 year old said, "I didn't know I had a choice. I didn't know I could go."

Baxter revealed she kept her personal problems to herself while she was working with her husband: "You learn to compartmentalize. As soon as I got to the studio, my home life was not happening. I never talked about it. No one knew anything." But the violence at home became too much for her to bear: "It was so sudden and unexpected, I couldn't tell you which hand hit me, or even how hard. I do recall thinking, 'I'd better not get up because he's going to hit me again.'"

Baxter and Birney had three kids together during their marriage. The actor has yet to respond to his ex-wife's TV allegations.