With October labeled as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Andrea Kelly has decided to retell disturbing aspects of her marriage to singer R. Kelly.
Speaking to the hosts of The View Thursday (Oct. 4), Kelly explained why she decided to speak publically about her 13-year marriage to the artist. In June, Kelly appeared on Sister Circle after BuzzFeed’s investigative report about the singer’s alleged sex cult went viral. Looking back, Kelly said the young women speaking out encouraged her to the same.
“..some of the things she had described in detail, I had been through — I mean, verbatim,” she said. “And it was just something about that pierced my spirit, that I was like, ‘If no one else is going to speak up for her, if no one else is going to believe her, at least she knows that I do.'”
READ MORE: Throw The Whole Man Away: Why The Black Community Must Stop Supporting R. Kelly
In addition to the years of abuse she endured, Kelly said she now has PTSD over an incident that occurred in the back of a Hummer. Fighting tears, Kelly described how she was nearly suffocated by the singer when he reportedly assaulted her. After an argument, the singer reportedly threw Andrea to the back of the car and twisted her arm around her back while dropping his body weight on top of her.
“I just remember sitting in the back of the Hummer and it got blue,” she said. “And I just thought, oh my God, I’m gonna die in the back of this Hummer. And he’s gonna drive off with my body in the back seat, and nobody’s gonna know.”
The second instance she described was the moment she was essentially hogtied by Kelly with the belt to his robe.“Me being a dancer, I’m like, ‘If I keep moving my legs, it’s eventually gonna make this loose. And if I can get my legs loose, I can get my arms loose,’” she said. “I finally did and got away.”
Despite the abuse, Kelly didn’t file for divorce until 2009. She did, however, file a restraining order against him in 2005. Her family was aware of the abuse but it wasn’t until a comment from her daughter encouraged her to leave the dangerous marriage. “We were looking at pictures, and the long and short of it is, he was being belligerent with me,” Andrea said. “And my daughter goes, ‘Daddy, why are you being mean to my mom? Why are you talking to her that way?’ And it was like a light went off for me because I knew at that moment if you stay, and she ends up with a man like him, and you tell her to leave, she’s gonna say, ‘But why would I? You stayed with my dad all those years.’ So I knew I had to be a living example for my daughter.”
The actress-choreographer believed her speaking up about her haunting past would encourage others to do the same. Instead, she’s been shamed and mocked for her case. It hasn’t stopped Kelly from speaking up. The mother of three still plans to share her story and help other survivors of domestic abuse. The singer has yet to comment on his ex-wife’s comments.
Sadly, R. Kelly is still in high demand. He’s expected to perform in Houston November 3. His Facebook page is also filled with thirsty disturbingly passionate messages and words of prayer from fans.
READ MORE: Andrea Kelly Contemplated Suicide After Domestic Dispute With R. Kelly