Leeds’ Mel B opens up about domestic abuse on GMB

Leeds’ former Spice Girl Mel B opened up to Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain (GMB) in a candid interview on Monday, 17th May.

The singer shared her own experiences of domestic abuse with the presenter, appearing on the TV show to talk about her work with Women’s Aid.

Mel has just released a new music video about domestic violence, in which she appears battered and bruised. Called Love Should Not Hurt, it was created in partnership with classical composer Fabio D’Andrea.

The new release is inspired by her conversations with other survivors of domestic abuse at a refuge in Leeds and the impact of lockdown on their situation.

Through it, she aims to highlight the different forms of abuse victims can suffer at the hands of loved ones.

Speaking to Susanna on GMB this morning, Mel said: “There were around 20 women sitting cross-legged on the floor and we all told our story. I told mine, then one woman went: ‘Oh my God, I went through the same thing. He took my car keys away on week three.’ We all had exactly the same story.”

“You just don’t really know how to get out, or how to deal with it.

“There’s a lot of shame and I’m saying lift that shame up.”

She said the song, called Love Should Not Hurt, and its video were also inspired by her own experiences with ex-husband Stephen Belafonte.

During the course of their decade-long marriage, she accuses him of subjecting her to sustained “emotional and physical abuse” – a charge which he denies.

“The only way out is to kind of sporadically run and you don’t even know where you’re going or where you’re going to get the help, you probably don’t even have your own phone anymore and your friends probably haven’t heard from you in months.” Mel continued on GMB.

“We really wanted to highlight how it can just escalate very very quickly to you feeling so trapped and alone.

“I thought it was normal to not have my phone, normal to not have cash or a credit card on me, because I was told I lose things, everything was justifiable.”

Known for her Scary Spice persona, Mel B split from her ex-husband in 2018 after ten years together.

Now living back in Leeds with her mum Andrea and her eldest daughters, she revealed in a Guardian interview that at times she feared Belafonte would kill her.

She is now encouraging the Women’s Aid film to be shared to raise awareness.

Speaking about the project, Mel B said: “I’m so incredibly proud to be part of this project which means so much to me because this is a collaboration of three things that are so important in my life. Music, dance and a way to highlight the ever-increasing issue of violence towards women.

“It seems strange to say I am proud of showing something so brutal and disturbing but it is my mission to raise awareness of something so many women go through every day, every week, every month of their lives.

“I have had my own experiences of abusive relationships but as patron of Women’s Aid I have spoken to so many other women, listened to what they have gone through and I know how very real the danger is to so many women out there and I’m not going to stop breaking the silence and the shame around this subject because it’s too much and we have to stand up and do something.

“This performance represents the stories and the experiences of those women I have met, spoken to or heard about.

“My heart breaks for every single woman and child who suffers from some form of domestic abuse. I want this to count for all victims of abuse. I want to help raise awareness, raise money and do anything I can to put a stop to this epidemic.”