Singer Opens Up About Domestic Abuse: ‘No One Who Hurts You Loves You’
A singer’s brave admission that she was the victim of domestic abuse has moved her fans to tears.
Jessica Lea Mayfield, a 28-year-old singer-songwriter from Kent, Ohio, shared her personal story with her nearly 7,000 Instagram followers Monday. “I’ve struggled with posting this, but feel it’s necessary,” she wrote in the post, which received more than 1,300 likes. “Last week, I had a surgery for a broken shoulder related to a domestic violence incident. I had been suffering with this injury (and others that still require surgeries) for 3 years. This is not uncommon. I want to tell anyone who is protecting their abuser that it’s not worth it. No one who hurts you loves you. No one should EVER hurt you. Don’t believe them when they say they are sorry. It will happen again. Leave after the first time. It only gets worse.”
She finished by writing, “My silence helps no one except the person who did this to me.”
A post shared by Jessica Lea Mayfield (@jessicaleamayfield) on Jul 10, 2017 at 5:43am PDT
Fans called the indie rocker a “she-hero” and an inspiration, with one sharing that she was “moved to tears” and another noting, “Sharing this will undoubtedly help someone in the same position as you have been. What a selfless thing to share something so personal in order to help others. Sending you positive and healing vibes.”
Mayfield, who also creates “violence-related” paintings as a “form of therapy,” is now the latest celebrity to speak out about having endured an abusive relationship — among them Rihanna, Halle Berry, Sarah Hyland, Meredith Vieira, and Melanie Brown (Mel B).
Yahoo Beauty was unable to reach Mayfield for further comment. But according to Jonathan Alpert, a Manhattan-based psychotherapist and author of Be Fearless, the singer’s post is bound to have a powerful impact.
“This woman is courageous for sharing her experiences, and her message helps to de-stigmatize domestic violence — she gives power to the otherwise powerless,” Alpert tells Yahoo Beauty. “In some ways, her post is a call to action for the people who look up to her.”
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