"I am a victim of domestic violence" - Actress Chika Ike opens up

Actress Chike Ike pens an open letter to her fans,
opening up about the physical abuse she suffered
in the hands of the man she called her husband for
five years. Find her story below...
The past three years has been a very
emotional period for me. I focused my energy
on work and to build back my self esteem. its
been really hard for me to come out straight
and talk about this because sometimes I pinch
myself to wake up and not believe that I was a
victim of domestic violence. I've been through
a lot in my life, faced a lot of challenges but
this is one topic I've tried so hard to avoid and
have been waiting for the right time but I have
come to a resolve that there's really no right
time because every second of the day,lives are
being lost due to domestic violence. I was a
victiim of domestic violence in my marriage
and that was the singular reason I left my
marriage, aside other reasons.
Growing up as a girl. I was always known as the
sweetest kid on the block, before I got married, I
have been through some relationships and for
once no man had ever laid a finger on me. The
first time it happened in my marriage I didn't
understand it because I am not the type of woman
a man beats but I guess there are no types. It just
happens and no woman deserves it. As a young
girl I thought it was love or his way of expressing
his emotions,after every beating he pleads , cries
and says it won't happen again, once again I
thought it was love and made excuses for him.
Over the years when it kept happening
consistently I started looking for other definitions
for it. I started loosing my self pride,self esteem ,
self worth, and most painfully i lost a pregnancy
(Miscarriage) I almost lost my life in the process
then I realised how serious and abnormal it really
was.
I have heard and read a lot of accusations from
ignorant people who don't know my story,I guess
that's why they are ignorant. I was 20yrs old and
very naïve to the world when I got married ."
They said I married for money" LOL. I was married
to a corporate guy,who had a 9_5 job in a bank,
Lives in a rented 2 bedroom apartment at Egbe..
So do the maths! . I married for love. I did a
traditional wedding. A white wedding and a court
wedding. So that's how much I wanted to be
married forever. For five years I hoped, prayed &
wished that one day it will all change. But the last
straw that broke the carmels back was during a
heated argument he threw a glass jug to my face
and I dogged it and it shattered on d wall. I saw
death flash before me and I made a decision to
save my life. I left my marriage.
Am not saying this to draw pity from anyone
because we are entitled to our opinions and
believes. I am not also saying this to discourage
people from falling in love because its a beautiful
feeling and I still believe in it. I am saying this to
educate, share and talk about my experience as a
victim of domestic violence because it is real.