Yahoo Finance Mel B speaks about her experience with domestic abuse, trauma and her new film for Women’s Aid
Mel B has spoken out on her experience with domestic abuse and the new film she has worked on with charity Women’s Aid to raise awareness on the epidemic.
The former Spice Girls star, 45, admitted in an interview with the Guardian that she had previously lied about the state of her marriage and how happy she was.
Brown said she felt it her “duty” to lie because in her mind there was no way out.
“You’re living in a nightmare, and then tell the outside world that everything is fine because you’re so embarrassed, and riddled with guilt, and worried that nobody’s going to believe you,” she added.
The singer alleges that she tried to leave her marriage with film producer Stephen Belafonte for 10 years before their divorce in 2017.
She accused him of emotional and physical abuse, which he has denied in the past.
“I tried to leave seven times, so you can imagine how desperate I was in those 10 years.
“I didn’t have anywhere to go, I didn’t have my own credit card, I didn’t have a car, I’ve got three kids, I was very on the edge of self-destruction,” she told the paper.
Brown, who works with Women’s Aid, telling her story on domestic abuse and encouraging others to tell theirs, has just made a four-minute film about the issue.
The video is inspired by the impact of lockdown on women living with an abusive partner.
While the video shows that the couple’s relationship is the picture of happiness to those around them, behind closed doors she is left scared by her partner’s violent behaviour.
Women's Aid patron Mel B stars in a shockingly powerful new video to highlight the horror of domestic abuse. The video is Inspired by the impact of lockdown on women living with an abusive partner. pic.twitter.com/9WLN2SdfX9
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) May 17, 2021
Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Monday to speak of the short film, titled Love Should Not Hurt, she said: “You know that’s why this video is so important, because it’s not just my story, [it’s] bits and pieces of my story, but it’s every woman’s story, it’s everybody’s voice, because we are dealing with an epidemic.
“You put on your armour and you walk out to the world, but behind closed doors it’s very, very different.
“It’s embarrassing, shameful and you carry so much guilt having to lie and keep that secret. To do this campaign was so important to me,” she added.
She said she was “so incredibly proud” to be involved in the project as it also used music and dance “to highlight the ever increasing issue of violence towards women.”
Belafonte did not respond to a request for comment from the Standard.
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