Taylor Armstrong details abuse
‘Housewives’ star spills secrets about married life.
From punches to pulled hair to death threats, marital abuse is not just restricted to the ‘less-developed’ part of the world and does not necessarily have a link with unemployment, as is widely claimed. In many cases, the stereotypical portrait of a typical wife-beater — alcoholic, uneducated and unemployed — defies reality.
According to a report published in this paper, 80 per cent of Pakistani women are victims of domestic violence. This is corroborated by the clinical experience of senior psychiatrists and data collected by the Aurat Foundation, revealed that reported incidents of domestic violence have increased from 281 to 608 from 2008 to 2009.
While it might be easy to blame the economic conditions in the country for the rapidly increasing numbers of marital violence — a phenomenon many associate with frustration — seems pertinent to mention how the wealthy and glittery world of TV stars in America is also plagued by the same problem. “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Taylor Armstrong’s detailed story of the abuse she suffered from her spouse highlights the widespread nature of this phenomenon.
Taylor filed for divorce in July, but until now she has not spoken in any interviews. On “Entertainment Tonight”, she revealed a final blow to her eye that led to her estrangement from her late husband Russell Armstrong. That punch fractured bones in her face, and medical tests showed damage in her brain. She said she did not speak out during the marriage because she loved her husband and did not want him to go to jail. But now, she said that she hopes her story helps other women who are suffering abuse from their own husbands.
The actor told the show’s Nancy O’Dell that Russell (an investment banker and venture capitalist by profession) physically abused her “maybe 20 times” throughout their marriage. “The first time he ever really harmed me physically, I was pregnant with Kennedy (daughter), and he grabbed me by the throat and held me up against a wall,” said Armstrong. The reason, she said, was because she had baked the kids a pizza, but hadn’t served them vegetables along with it.
From there the assaults escalated, but Armstrong would wait until the two were alone, perhaps in their car. Armstrong said her husband would hide his abuse by grabbing or hitting her head so that any welts would be covered by her hair. “Russell was very careful about how he would do things,” she said.
Armstrong is a key member of the show about wealthy and pampered women living in posh Beverly Hills. Her marriage troubles with Russell were expected to be a key story in the second season that was taped earlier this year.
(With additional information Reuters)
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2011.