Gibson's ex 'feared for her life'

Oksana Grigorieva didn't think she would "make it through the night" if she stayed with Mel Gibson.

The Russian singer claims she recorded the actor's outbursts towards her on January 6 when he allegedly hit her in the face, breaking her teeth and threatened to kill her - because she was terrified of what he might do.

Asked why she made the recordings, which have since been made public, she said: "Because I didn't think I was going to make it through the night.

"Everything, by the way, this is really important, all the tapes that you hear on the Internet, all of them were recorded that one night.

"The tapes, as you call them, the voicemails, everything was recorded that night because I was in fear for my life.

"I really did not think I was going to make it."

Oksana - who has nine-month-old daughter Lucia with Mel - also blasted the Braveheart star for claiming she had demanded money in exchange for not exposing the tapes, insisting his accusations have "trivialised domestic violence."

She said in an interview with RadarOnline.com: "I think Mel, basically, is trivialising domestic violence.

"This is very, very sad and it is very unfair too. It is unfair that by standing up to somebody - and speaking out - I am being victimised all over again.

"He has hurt so many people I feel like I am being victimised all over again.

When asked if she tried to extort money from Mel, she added: "No, I have never tried to extort anything from him. There is no proof of anything.

"It is all false information he is feeding the press. It is a smear campaign, clearly, to me. I am absolutely convinced of that... It is very unfair."

Oksana also praised her former lover Timothy Dalton, with who she has 12-year-old son Alexander, for his support.

She said: "He is a great dad. They're good together. He is a good support for his son and he has been a good support to me."

Mel, 54, is now being investigated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services over allegations he assaulted the Russian singer and Lucia.

He is also being investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over domestic violence claims.

- BANG! SHOWBIZ