The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Mel B video speaks out over domestic violence
Women’s Aid groups across Tayside and Fife have welcomed a new video starring ex-spice Girl, Mel B, showing the devastating impact of domestic abuse.
Cilla Taylor, deputy manager at Perthshire Women’s Aid, praised the depiction of domestic violence in the video, but urged viewers to be mindful that abuse can still occur in a relationship without the presence of physical violence.
Cilla explained: “The video has been done really well. It highlights the severity when there is violence in abusive relationships.
“But it’s important to highlight that there doesn’t always have to be physical violence in a relationship for it to be abusive.
“We don’t want people to think that because their relationship isn’t like that and they haven’t been physically hurt, it’s not any less severe.
“The walking on eggshells around your partner, waiting continuously for something to happen, there is a mental impact of that, which is a long process to heal. Other forms of abuse are just as real.”
The powerful video – titled Love Should Not Hurt (A Flat Minor) – was directed by and features the music of composer Fabio D’andrea.
It was inspired by the impact of lockdown on women living with an abusive partner, as well as the increase in homicides during the first weeks of the pandemic.
It was also heavily influenced by the real-life stories of the many women Mel B has heard from since writing about her own 10year abusive marriage and since becoming a patron of Women’s Aid.
Mel B’s ex-husband, Stephen Bellafonte, denies her allegations.
In the video, singer Mel B plays a woman trying to flee an abusive relationship, with Sam Mackay playing her violent and controlling partner.
It dismantles the myth that it is easy to spot a domestic abuser within your friend group or family:
In the video, the couple portray a happy relationship in public, with close friends and family seemingly unaware of what is going on behind closed doors.
Cilla continued: “It highlights the difficulties women have when attempting to leave: you can see the use of coercive and abusive behaviours in the video, including those times that appear happy.
“It highlights how people standing on the outside perceive an image of happiness that is being created by the perpetrator.
“He controls what people see, so he’s still using the same controlling behaviours to also control what people on the outside see.”
Mel B says: “This video is very real. Violence and abuse happens everywhere.
“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.
“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.”
From April 2020 to January 2021, Dundee City Council was found to be the local authority area with the highest rate of domestic abuse in Scotland (148 per 10,000 population). Fife was eighth.
The Scottish Police Authority reported that from April to June 2020, domestic abuse incidents increased by 8.8%; the same time period in 2019 had shown a 1.2% decrease on the previous year.
If you have been affected by the topics in this article, support is available at: Dundee Women’s Aid dundeewomensaid.co.uk 01382 207099
Fife Women’s Aid fifewomensaid.org.uk 0808 802 5555 Perthshire Women’s Aid perthwomensaid.co.uk 01738 639043