R. Kelly’s Ex-Wife Andrea Opens Up About Alleged Abuse, Attributes Wake-Up Call To Online Quiz
R. Kelly's ex-wife Andrea Kelly breaks her silence over the explosive allegations against her former husband. She shared her struggles on TV.
Coming To A Stark Realization
The 44-year-old appeared on daytime talk show Sister Circle to discuss her tumultuous relationship with the rapper, who stands accused of sexual abuse against several young black women.
Kelly revealed that, back in 2009, when she was trying to come to terms with the abuse she suffered at the hands of the "I Believe I Can Fly" hit-maker, she turned to the internet for guidance.
Kelly explained during her interview that her faith helped her stay strong throughout their relationship and kept her from committing suicide during her darkest days.
She filed an emergency protective order due to physical abuse in 2005 but withdrew it a week later. She filed for divorce the following year but she chose to stay with Kelly.
This is the first time the rapper's ex-wife has spoken publicly about the alleged abuse she suffered during their 13-year marriage. According to Kelly, God moved her to search online for domestic violence support groups, to try to make sense of what had happened to her.
"I'm thinking to myself, 'I'm not that girl. I'm not the teeth missing, broken bone girl. But God said, 'Keep scrolling,' ... And at the end of the domestic violence awareness website, there was a questionnaire," she revealed.
After answering the 17-question quiz, Kelly realized that 15 of the points applied to her relationship.
The typical questionnaire usually includes references to whether a person's partner makes them feel nervous or anxious, whether they ever feel coerced into sex, or restricted from seeing friends or family or, crucially, whether they ever feel in danger.
His Criminal Activities
At one point during her interview, Kelly's ex-wife also criticized the rapper for defamatory comments in his 2013 memoir, Soulacoaster. She took issue, in particular, with his assertion that they got divorced because she didn't want to be a stay-at-home mom.
"We got divorced because I was no longer going to sit and be violated. What he did to me was criminal," she stated plainly.
Andrea Kelly also met with the parents of Joycelyn Savage, who claim that Kelly brainwashed their daughter and kept her as part of his alleged sex cult. His ex-wife told them that she stands with Joycelyn no matter what.
"I understand it to a level that no police officer, no counselor, no judge, nobody will understand," she said.
Just last month, a woman sued R. Kelly for sexual battery, false imprisonment, and failure to disclose an STD. Multiple women have come forward to make accusations against him, with two of them even appearing on Megyn Kelly Today to discuss their harrowing experiences with the rapper.
Representatives for Kelly have denied all allegations against him, including those from his ex-wife. In a statement, a spokesperson argued that Kelly keeps his rumored sex cult members around of their own volition. It further alleged that those criticizing Kelly's odd at-home setup are nothing more than fame-hungry liars.
