R. Kelly's ex-wife Andrea Kelly is speaking out after accusing the singer of abuse in Lifetime's 'Surviving R. Kelly' docuseries.
R. Kelly's ex-wife Andrea Kelly is speaking out after accusing the singer of abuse in Lifetime's Surviving R. Kelly docuseries.
The six-part series featured interviews with several women who claim they were subjects of abuse and predatory behavior from the R&B singer, while other interviewees claimed to have witnessed inappropriate behavior between him and his then-underaged protege, the late Aaliyah.
R. Kelly has long denied all allegations against him.
On Monday, Andrea shared a screenshot of a Psychology Today article on Instagram listing side effects of domestic abuse, including feeling ashamed and hiding abuse from people close to you. She also fought back against those she says are now trying to "expose" her.
Andrea and R. Kelly were married from 1996-2009, and have three children together.
"Thank God for his grace, guidance, love AND deliverance," Andrea captioned the post. "I celebrate the women I am TODAY! Though some want [to] 'expose' the pain filled, scared, abused women I was.....STOP! I AM No longer afraid. No longer willing to silence my PAIN AND SUGARCOAT THE ABUSE I ENDURED because of how my abuser and his LEGAL TEAM were THREATENING to come against me if I 'didn’t choose wisely.'"
"NO MORE! Don’t speak about MY GROWTH OR JOURNEY especially if you have NEVER BEEN ABUSED," she continued. "And for the ones that have endured my pain and have been in the place I WAS IN YEARS AGO....as in IN MY PAST. YOU’RE NOT ALONE. ... It took a lot of therapy and even more tears to know what I know TODAY!!!! Oh did I say TODAY!!!! PS....WHAT I DID or SAID SHOULD NEVER BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHY I DID IT OR SAID IT. Do your research on #domesticviolence and the #cycles #signs and #effects before you deem yourself JUDGE AND JURY!!! OH I HAVE SOOOO MUCH MORE TO SAY AND I WILL VERY SOON!!!! #survivor IAMDREAKELLY..."
Meanwhile, Facebook removed a page on Monday dedicated to discrediting R. Kelly's accusers titled "Surviving Lies." TMZ obtained a statement from Facebook stating that the page "violated Community Standards."
"The Page violated our Community Standards and has been removed," the statement reads. "We do not tolerate bullying or sharing other’s private contact information and take action on content that violates our policies as soon as we’re aware.”
ET Live recently spoke to high-profile attorney Gloria Allred, who talked about what legal action may follow Surviving R. Kelly. R. Kelly previously faced 14 counts of child pornography in a 2008 case and was acquitted on all counts.
"We don't know whether there would ever be, in a prosecutor's opinion, any sufficient evidence to file any other criminal case against Mr. Kelly, or even if they they thought there was sufficient evidence, whether it would be within the time period -- something called the statute of limitations," Allred said. "Secondly, as to a civil lawsuit, there are different time periods for filing a civil lawsuit, so it may be that civil lawsuits may follow."
"We don't know right now whether the people that allege they were victims in the Lifetime series are in the time period set by law to file a civil lawsuit, and we'll have to wait and see that, but if Kelly sues these women who allege that they were victims, they will have an opportunity to respond in the court of law," she added.
Ahead of the show's premiere, R. Kelly's lawyer, Brian Nix, sent a legal warning to Lifetime threatening to sue the network if they aired the docuseries, TMZ also previously reported. According to the letter published by the outlet, Nix claims that many of the allegations made in the series are false, and further alleges that Lifetime knowingly included false accounts.
In response, the network defended their series with their own statement, sharing, "Lifetime has always been a brand that champions women’s stories. The documentary will air as scheduled."
Since the docuseries aired, a number of celebrities have spoken out against R. Kelly, including John Legend, Chance the Rapper and Jada Pinkett-Smith.
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