'If I showered one of his assistants would have to be by the door'
For over two decades, R Kelly has been accused of abusing and sexually harassing young women. And while the allegations against R Kelly were made a long time ago, it was the recent broadcasting of a new documentary about the singer that prompted a lot of people to take them seriously.
The #MuteRKelly campaign and the Time’s Up movement called for ‘appropriate investigations’ into the claims, and earlier this year, the rapper surrendered to the police.
R Kelly was indicted in February on 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse against four victims, with the reported crimes allegedly taking place between 1998 and 2010. It was reported at the time that if he is convicted, R Kelly would face three to seven years in prison for each count. He has since been charged with new sex assault charges, alongside kidnapping, forced labour and sexual exploitation of a child, reportedly facing at least 18 charges altogether. R. Kelly has denied all the allegations.
This week however, his name resurfaced, as Joycelyn Savage, a former girlfriend of the singer and one of his previous supporters amid the allegations, has spoken out, releasing a series of posts about their relationship on crowdfunding platform, Patreon.
Releasing her account in chapters, Savage alleged that R Kelly gave her ‘commands’ to call him ‘Master’ or ‘Daddy’, raising her voice if she didn’t obey him.
‘Robert likes to manipulate whoever he was in the room with even down to his own assistant,’ Savage continued to claim. ‘He didn't care, everyone was in it for a cheque so they didn't care either’.
She went on to claim that she was watched constantly by R. Kelly’s staff, alleging: ‘I can say I didn't have any type of privacy at all now that I think of it. If I showered one of his assistant would have to be by the door while I shower.’
She claimed that she did voice her concerns to R Kelly, who would reportedly respond: ‘All this can stop today, you want a career? Or do you want to live a normal life.’
Some have questioned Joycelyn Savage’s decision to tell her story now, after years of silence, something her parents have addressed publicly.
‘She’s ready to tell the truth’, Joycelyn’s mother Jonjelyn told ABC's Good Morning America on Sunday.
‘She's came out with statements that we have been saying for the last two and a half years and it's pretty accurate. I believe one of the primary reasons that she has the courage to speak up is because she knows he's actually in jail.’
We will continue to update this story.
