Mel B reveals the women's refuge that helped her rebuild her life
Spice Girl Mel B, 47, has been regularly dropping in to see residents at a women's refuge since the end of her marriage to TV producer Stephen Belafonte in 2017.
In her book Brutally Honest she wrote about the coercive control she suffered. Mel credits the refuge workers she once saw twice a week for helping her rebuild her life.
The Women's Aid domestic abuse refuge, located in her hometown of Leeds, provides emergency shelter and accommodation for women who suffer domestic abuse and their children.
Receiving an MBE for her work as patron of Women's Aid, Mel is raising awareness about the impact of the cost of living crisis on women living in abusive situations.
Not only have costs for refuges more than tripled, increasing numbers of women feel trapped in abusive relationships because they worry about the cost of running a household alone.
Mel said: “We know already that it often takes seven or eight attempts to leave an abusive relationship...when you are more fearful than ever about money, it makes it ten times harder.”
As well as backing the Speak Out Against Domestic Abuse campaign, Mel is also pushing for additional reforms including funding for the Victims Bill.