Jamelia has opened up about her harrowing domestic abuse ordeal, saying that she was “too embarrassed” to seek help at the height of her career.
The singer, who was also a judge on RTE’s The Voice Of Ireland, spoke about her experiences during a recent television appearance, saying that even though it happened ten years ago, she still found it “very difficult to say aloud”.
“You also have to understand that this was whilst I was enjoying a career and I would be on Top Of The Pops one minute and then I would be going home and getting punched in the face. I am sorry if that’s a bit shocking but that was my reality,” said the Superstar singer.
“There are many women who have that reality who have this public life, this public performance and how embarrassing is it, I’m an intelligent, strong woman and I know right from wrong.”
Jamelia wrote hit song Thank You in an effort to deal with her difficult past and said that she hoped that speaking out would help women who are currently in a similar position to understand that there is a way out.
“You can come to terms with it and forgive but the scars will always remain. For me, the best thing I could ever have done was to share my story – the best thing I could do was let other women know that they are not alone because that’s exactly how I felt. I felt as if no-one would understand, no-one would get it. I couldn’t tell anyone, I felt so embarrassed,” she said on Loose Women.
“After releasing the song and getting hundreds and hundreds of letters – from women and people affected by domestic abuse – that was the first time that I felt, ‘This is not only me, I’m not the only person in this situation’. What alarmed me more than anything was the amount of people that had. If I had known I would have reached out for help earlier and is it not better for me to be open and talk about it to allow other people to know that they are not on their own?”
Women’s Aid run a national freephone helpline for those experiencing domestic abuse in Ireland on 1800 341 900 (open from 10am to 10pm seven days a week on 1800 341 900). For further information, click here.
