“Real Housewives of Atlanta” reality star, Porsha Williams, is speaking out for the first time about the physical abuse she suffered at the hand of ex-husband, Kordell Stewart.
During an interview with Access Hollywood Live to discuss her single and video for “Flatline,” Porsha recalled Stewart hitting her on several occasions.
“The video [“Flatline”] does touch on domestic violence and some abuse I encountered in my marriage,” she said of the music video for her first single. “It’s not exact to what I went through, because, honestly, what I went through was a little bit worse in some instances.”
When asked what happened during the course of her marriage by host Billy Bush she replied, “Abuse. Physical abuse.”
When asked if Stewart actually hit her she again responded,
“Yeah. There were several different occasions that this happened. When you’re in an abusive situation, it kind of just builds, and it starts to get worse and worse. And people ask me, why didn’t you tell anybody or call the police or what have you? I just thought that I could make it better. I honestly thought after each situation that I would change this or I would change that, and therefore the outcome wouldn’t be the same. It doesn’t work like that.”
“I’m still realizing now that a lot of what happened, it wasn’t my fault,” she added.
The reality star also insist that her now ex-husband admitted to the abuse during their divorce.
“When we were going through the divorce process, we had to sit in deposition hearing, and he didn’t deny it,” she revealed. “A lot of women who are in situations like I was in, I wanted to make it better. I was praying every day. I was cooking. I was smiling. The outside appearance was as if nothing was happening. Even though you’re being abused, you still love that person, you’re just trying to love them through it. And you’re trying to pray them through it and you’re not realizing that you can’t change a person, they have to change themselves.”
As for why she’s never opened up about the abuse before Williams admits her pride played a role.
“I never went to the hospital. I never reported anything. There were [visible injuries], but I’ll tell you the ones that have stuck with me the most is the mental abuse. I had so much pride in being a wife and being a mother and what that meant to me was big,” she explained. “So for me to be told I was lazy, and that I was stupid and that I wasn’t good enough and that nothing I could do was right, that was really, really hard for me…When someone is constantly ridiculing you, I’m always trying to live up to what that person thinks of me, it’s hard.”
When reached out to by Access Hollywood, Stewart denied the allegations. He told the news program, “It’s not true. I’ve never abused her. Never put my hands on her. Never.”
This isn’t the first time abuse accusations has come up when discussing Kordell. We witnessed Porsha defending herself and her marriage during the course of the popular reality show when her fellow cast members insisted Kordell seemed to be controlling of her.
This is the first time, however, Williams has admitted to the abuse.
The couple’s divorce was finalized earlier this year.
Accusing someone of domestic abuse is a very serious offense so if true, we are completely sympathetic with Porsha.
Unfortunately, although she seemed genuinely remorseful, this confession doesn’t help Porsha’s image after her own violent outburst and attack on Kenya Moore during their “RHOA’ reunion show show-down.
We’ll keep you posted. Watch Williams’ interview below.
On her divorce from Stewart:
On the abuse:
