Mel B has filed for a restraining order from her husband Stephen Belafonte just one week after filing for divorce.
The couple, who were married for almost 10 years, have been embroiled in tabloid scandal since the split. Yesterday, Belafonte’s home was raided by police in search of illegal guns. Before that, Belafonte’s brother Jeremiah Stansbury also made disturbing claims that he had brought guns to their house, punched Mel B’s dog so hard it collapsed and seduced a number of women.
TMZ obtained the court documents in which Mel details her horrific physical and emotional abuse, which she claims has been going on since 2007. The singer revealed that she would be physically assaulted by her partner when her success was getting too great, and claims she was forced into threesomes by her husband, who threatened to release secretly recorded sex tapes of her to the public.
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She provides several upsetting examples of physical abuse, including an incident after an X Factor taping where Stephen punched her in the face, causing her lip to split, before telling her she should have thought before deciding to “flirt with and f*** Usher.” Mel B also alleges in the restraining order that Stephen impregnated the nanny and wanted the three of them to “raise it together”, before using “her money” to pay for an abortion.
“I have tried to leave the Respondent many times. Every time I tried, Respondent threatened me with violence and threatened to destroy my life in every possible way. He said he would destroy my career and take my kids from me,” Mel B alleges in the court document. “He threatened to release sexually explicit videotapes claiming I would never work again in the entertainment industry. These threats were made so as to allow Respondent to gain and keep control over me and my finances.”
TMZ reports that Stephen denies the claims, and when asked he reportedly said he was surprised by them.
This is a developing story, we’ll let you know more information as it comes.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual or domestic violence, you can speak to a friendly counsellor at 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
This article originally appeared in InStyle Australia
