Hayden Panettiere Defends Dad Beating Mom

In the new issue of Seventeen, Hayden Panettiere admits she struggled with her dad's 2008 arrest for felony domestic violence against her mother.

"I don't know that I dealt with it any specific way," the Heroes star, who turns 20 this August, admitted. "I mean, it's hard enough going through it personally within your family, let alone when the entire world knows about it."

Alan Panettiere was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery in September after allegedly hitting wife Lesley in the face, leaving a bruise.

He later called the incident a "big misunderstanding."

Continues Hayden Panettiere on the subject: "It put my dad in this light that is so not him. You know your mind goes to: 'He abuses, he beats his wife.' For my dad to have that reputation now - which is so not who he is - kills me."

"I know that I'm strong enough to deal. I'm less concerned about myself. But when it involves my family or people I care about, I mean, I'll fly off the handle."

Panettiere also talked a bit about her love life. She was recently spotted showing off her bikini body and misspelled tattoo with British TV host Steve Jones, 32.

"Right now, I'm just having fun," she says. It's when your not looking for anything that something winds up coming along, whether it's a best friend or a guy."

If only it worked in reverse, and you could not be looking for anything, and out of nowhere Hayden Panettiere nude comes along. Are we right, Heroes fans?