R. Kelly's daughter, Buku Abi, also known as Joann Kelly, in a revealing new documentary titled "R. Kelly's Karma: A Daughter's Journey has come forward with allegations of sexual abuse by her father during her childhood.
The documentary, which premiered on the TVEI Streaming Network, marks the first time Abi has publicly spoken about the alleged abuse she endured.
Abi, now 26 years old, claims that the abuse occurred when she was just 8 or 9 years old. She recalls a particularly harrowing incident where she "woke up to him touching me," and in her fear, she "pretended to be asleep." Despite the gravity of these experiences, Abi admits, "I was too scared to tell anybody. I was too scared to tell my mom."
It wasn't until 2009, when Abi was 10 years old, that she confided in her mother, Andrea Kelly, about the abuse. Together, they reported the incident to the police under the pseudonym "Jane Doe."
However, Abi expresses frustration in the documentary, stating, "They couldn’t prosecute him because I waited too long. So at that point in my life, I felt like I said something for nothing."
The documentary not only delves into Abi's personal account but also explores the broader impact of delayed disclosure, a common phenomenon among victims of child sexual abuse who often wait years or even decades to reveal their experiences.
R. Kelly, who is currently serving a prison sentence for multiple sex crimes, has denied these allegations through his attorney, Jennifer Bonjean. Bonjean stated, "Mr. Kelly vehemently denies these allegations. His ex-wife made the same allegation years ago, and it was investigated by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services and was unfounded."
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