Real Housewives of Atlanta star Lisa Wu Hartwell admits recalling her own domestic abuse situation “still hurts”. Wu Hartwell, who is likely to appear on the second season of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta, endured a several year period in a violent relationship where she was both physically and verbally abused. Wu, ironically speaking with Essence before the now much-talked-about case between Chris Brown and Rihanna, says “He was very sweet at first, but looking back on it now, there were signs of him being controlling from the beginning.” While Wu Hartwell was married to R&B singer/producer Keith Sweat at one time, she does not reveal the abuser in her eyebrow raising interview in Essence Magazine’s March issue. According to that interview with Essence, Wu Hartwell awoke one morning to watch her abuser, who by this time had “slammed” and grabbed her “by the neck,” pacing back and forth by their bed, threatening to “pour some hot oil on your ass (and) see who would want you then”. Today, Wu-Hartwell is moving forward with “Housewives” co-star NeNe Leakes to pen a book that will not only chronicle their abuse, but also, they hope, help other victims rebuild their own lives. Recalling the shame she felt after being assaulted in public, Hartwell says “Everyone had seen it, and they knew what he’d done, but I never wanted to to expose it.. in part because I wanted to protect him. “A lot of people don’t want to admit it, but God allows you to go through an abusive relationship hoping that you will have a voice.” For those who may say she should keep her mouth closed and move on — a disturbing statement that seems to have permeated society, as noted on message boards and comment boards at the height of Rihanna and Chris Brown’s case — Wu Hartwell says: “I can’t sit on this. My motive isn’t to expose — it’s to help. We need to let people know that life does go on and it will get better.”
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