Dina Lohan admits Lindsay Lohan is messed up, but the mother wants people to know that it's not the actress' fault she's what she is now. In a new interview with New York Daily News at a Long Island hotel, the 50-year-old former dancer believes LiLo's erratic behavior is caused by the domestic violence she witnessed at home as a child.

Dina claims Michael Lohan physically assaulted and raped her during their turbulent marriage. She says, "Lindsay saw her dad abuse me - that's why she's so screwed up." She kept quiet because "like many victims of domestic violence and rape, I was embarrassed and afraid. I was very young . . . I thought I could keep fixing him."

The Lohan matriarch finally finds the courage to speak out after seeing a family picture that shows her holding baby LiLo with a huge bruise under her right eye. "When Lindsay saw the photo, she was furious," she utters. "She said, 'Tell the world! Talk about it!' She saw a lot of crazy stuff. I want the world to know the root of her problems."

Remembering one of the many assaults she had to suffer, Dina said she was punched by Michael in 1986 after dining at Cold Spring Harbor. "He was drunk-driving and suddenly he started screaming, 'Get the f**k out of the car!'," before hitting her with his clenched fist, she claimed. She was brought to a Long Island hospital by her parents after the assault.

Four years later, she claimed Michael forced himself on her. She said it happened during the time they were estranged. She lived with her kids at her parent's house, and Michael allegedly showed up asking her to take him back. "[The children] were sleeping, and I just knew I had to stay quiet - I don't want to wake them," she said, adding she went to hospital the next day.

Medical records show that Dina did suffer "blunt trauma" to the face on December 4, 1986. Medical records from Nassau County Hospital reveal she was examined by doctors in 1990 after reporting a rape. She didn't press charges against the stockbroker for both incidents because he was already on his way to jail for a securities fraud charge among other legal woes.

Neither did she file for divorce because her strong Catholic beliefs prevented her from doing so. Also, "Lindsay saw all the beatings and all the abuse. She said, 'Stay, mommy, don't leave'," she remembered, adding that her adult daughter recently regretted those words. "She said, 'I'm so sorry for making you stay.' But I didn't stay for Lindsay - I wanted all my kids to be happy."

Michael naturally denied all those allegations. He offered his side of story on the 1986 incident, "I came in at 2 o'clock in the morning after being out with some friends. I walked in and she hit me with an ice tray. With the back of my hand I slapped her in the face. Yes, it did happen in 1986. Were there any charges? No, not at all. I had a big black and blue on my neck from her."

Of the rape accusation, Michael insisted it was a consensual sex and Dina claimed rape only after she found out that he was dating another woman. "I went over to her parents' house and made love to her," the Lohan patriarch defended himself. "When I left and she called me, she found out I was with (the girlfriend) and called police."

He furthermore questioned her motives of making up "evil lies" about what happened between them years ago, suggesting that she did so to cover up her own bad parenting. "She's bringing this up now because she's drinking and partying with Lindsay. And she keeps robbing Lindsay," he exclaimed. "She is the devil."