Chvrches’ Lauren Mayberry Discussed Being The Victim Of Domestic Assault

Lauren Mayberry has used her platform as the lead singer of the band CHVRCHES to talk about a number of important subjects facing women. She’s previously outlined gross examples of misogyny in the music business and has taken on trolls head on. But nothing she’s done before will prepare you to read the first-hand account of her own domestic assault.

The letter, published in Lena Dunham’s newsletter Lenny, walks through the warning signs that she missed leading up to the incident and her own trouble with getting out of a relationship (even when she would be the first to tell others to jump ship). Mayberry did eventually leave her abuser, though, as she recounts in the letter:

“In the end, after several failed attempts, I walked away. The cycle had to stop. I cut off all contact and changed the locks to my flat, just in case. I used to feel guilty about the way I left and how long it took me to get there, but I don’t anymore — because everyone’s health and happiness is precious, and anyone who doesn’t play by those rules doesn’t get to be a part of your life.”

She also discusses the need to treat emotional abuse as credibly as physical violence.

“A relationship can be deeply damaging without anyone leaving marks on you. So many people — especially young women — end up trying to maintain those emotionally abusive relationships because we don’t think it’s that bad and that we are really some of the lucky ones because we haven’t experienced ‘real’ abuse.

Check out the whole letter over at Lenny. For more on Chvrches’ read our own interview with the band about their latest album Every Open Eye.

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