There is no need lambasting her for ‘speaking out.’ That’s the only way the 39-year-old mother of two believes she can get help.
Mercy Aigbe, who was one of those who participated at the campaign against Domestic Violence rally in Lagos last Friday, revealed why she exposed her estranged husband, Lanre Gentry on social media.
The seven-year-old marriage to Gentry suffered a major hiccup in April 2017 when Mercy’s photos of a battered face oozing blood, were released on the Internet. It went viral!
She later started releasing more exhibits and granted a major interview, where she tearfully narrated how she had been a victim of her husband’s fists for many years
Mercy and Lanre are separated currently with a lawsuit slammed on Gentry by the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs for battering his wife.
Speaking at the #1in3# campaign organized by Olori Wuraola Ogunwusi Foundation, Mercy AIgbe said love does not hurt and no man who claims to love a woman, beats her.
She said, “The Violence should not be an option irrespective of whatever the situation is. Nobody should resort to violence because at the end of it all, it doesn’t solve anything. It actually makes things worse. So I am here to say no to domestic violence, no to assault, no to battery. Under any circumstance, a man should never hit his wife. Only weak men, only cowards hit their wives. To women who are going through such, I would say please come out, speak about it. Stop protecting that man. Stop shielding that man because any man that hits you, he doesn’t love you. The minute the man raises up his hand to slap or hit or punch you, that means there is no more love in that relationship. There is no more love in that marriage. So stop shielding the man. Come out. Speak about it and if possible make sure you prosecute such a person and the person is brought to book. Violence is a no no.
“It should not be condoned. It should not be tolerated and also by making sure that whoever is found wanting is brought to book. Please people, Let us stop shaming the victims. There is no shame in our pain. I am a victim and I am proud to say that I am a victim. I am talking about it because I have chosen to talk about it. A lot of people say she is a celebrity. Yes I am a celeb according to you guys, but I am also a human being. I have blood flowing in my veins. I have feelings. If I choose to talk about it, leave me let me speak out it. Do not come shaming me and telling me how I should not come to social media to say what I want to say. I have the right and I am a human being. So let me talk about it because I feel my talking about it will actually give voice to the voiceless. My talking about it will encourage one woman out there who is going through such a thing and who cannot stand up to come out and be bold enough and be courageous about it and to stand up to that bully who she calls her husband.”