R Kelly's Ex-Wife Addresses Claims She Lied About Being Abused By Singer
1 November 2019, 16:10 | Updated: 1 November 2019, 17:00
Andrea Kelly reflects on the backlash she received after revealing R Kelly physically, sexually and emotionally abused her.
R Kelly's ex-wife, Drea Kelly, has opened up in a new interview about her past with the singer. Drea was married to the "Bump N' Grind" singer for 13 years.
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In a recent interview with Extra, Drea reflected on her past physical, sexual, and emotional abuse with Kelly. She also revealed how the backlash from speaking out on her experience of Kelly made her feel.
Drea shared that she wasn't prepared for the "victim-shaming, victim-blaming, and backlash" that came with sharing her story.
She continued "I thought, 'Here I am coming forward, this is about women, women's empowerment, we're in this together, and I just want to give validity to these women's stories and hopefully if they don't believe them at least they'll say the ex-wife, she's speaking...' It was the complete opposite.
"Instead, Drea said she was faced with people who called her a liar because they said she either received money or wanted money.
"There's no price tag on any woman's soul. You can't put a price on a life. At the end of the day, women are fighting for their lives. That's why I often say you may love R. Kelly, but you might not like Robert."
Although Kelly sits in jail, Drea said she still struggles with the accusations against him because, in the end, she still shares three children with him.
"People don't understand that although he was my abuser, he's also the father of my children," she added.
"But I will say this, I will take my abuser and the father of my children being in jail if it means another woman doesn't have to be subjected to what I went through.”
She had one final message for Kelly: "Thank you. Thank you for trying to put this fire out with gasoline because now I burn longer, I burn stronger, I burn brighter. I’m so resilient."
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Now I use that as my fuel. That pain that he put me through, you will never silence me, and I thank you for showing me how strong I am. And I thank you for showing me that you were my Goliath and I am your David." Watch her full brief interview below.
