Survivor Stories: Andrea Kelly

Photo credits: Essence

Andrea Kelly, the ex-wife of American former singer-songwriter and record producer R. Kelly, stated that during their marriage, R. Kelly physically abused her on numerous occasions. Described in detail during her presence on The View talk show, her story shed light on the private life of a famous figure.

In one instance, while the two were sitting in the back seat of a Hummer, R. Kelly allegedly pinned her left arm behind her back and choked her with his forearm. When describing the incident, Andrea stated, “The only reason I think I made it out is because I said, ‘Robert, you're going to kill me. I can’t breathe. You have to get your arm off of my neck.’ I just remember sitting in the back of the Hummer, and it got blue, and I thought, ‘Oh my God. I'm going to die in the back of this Hummer, and he's going to drive off with my body in the back seat, and nobody's going to know.”

On another instance, Andrea Kelly explained that the two were arguing, and when she tried to walk away, R. Kelly allegedly threw her down onto a bed, took the belt from his nearby robe, and hogtied her four limbs together. She said that he left her in that state, and it wasn’t until after he fell asleep that she managed to loosen the tie and escape. These incidents resulted in Andrea developing PTSD.

Beyond just physical abuse, Andrea also explained that he once changed her phone number without her knowledge, aiming to isolate her from her friends and family. Her parents eventually went to the Chicago Sun-Times to try to contact her. Andrea also stated that parents of some of the women with whom R. Kelly has recently been living have said that they also can no longer contact their daughters.

Andrea Kelly told The View that at one point, she seriously contemplated suicide, but changed her mind after thinking about her children’s reaction.

“That was my darkest moment,” she said. “Because as a mom, when you’re willing to leave your babies without their mom, that is your lowest low. You live for your children. The fact that I was willing to leave them let me know the best thing you have to do for you and your children to live is leave.”

In 2005, Andrea filed a restraining order against R. Kelly after he hit her when she brought up a divorce. She says that they were already living separately when he went to trial in Chicago against charges of child pornography, and then was acquitted of all 14 counts brought against him.

R. Kelly went on to deny the claims made against him, not just by Andrea, but by an online campaign called #MuteRKelly, aiming to have the music industry cut off ties with the singer.

Ultimately, Andrea’s strength to endure and overcome such difficult circumstances demonstrates that even when things seem hopeless or incredibly dark, it is possible to turn one’s life around for the better.

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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues. 

In this series, Survivor Stories, we explore and share the stories of survivors of violence and crime. Through this, we advocate for justice and more attention to victims such as the survivors we feature.