The couple, Melanie Brown, known as Mel B and Steven Belafonte were married since 2007 but as the former Spice Girl recently revealed, it was a marriage shrouded in extreme abuse. She says that her husband brutally assaulted her throughout the relationship.
Abuses followed accomplishments
Mel B, in detailing the beatings she suffered at the hands of her estranged husband, said that many of the incidents came after one of her accomplishments including Dancing with the Stars finale in 2007 and the X Factor. She alleges that the DWTS finale was one of the many times she was choked and slammed to the floor.
Sex tapes and exploitation
Stephen is also accused of sexual exploitation in addition to the physical abuse charges by his wife. She revealed that he forced her to engage in sex with him and other females; he got the nanny pregnant and had initially wanted them all to live together. He later demanded the nanny have an abortion. She further alleges that he has threatened to reveal sex tapes she is in.
The perfect couple
The two may have looked like the perfect couple until the allegations of abuse were made but what do we know about the power couple? She is a former member of the Spice Girls, one of the judges of America Got Talent and X Factor. She was also a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, among her many celebrity gigs.
Her husband is a producer and director. The couple has one child together, Madison Belafonte. She has two other children from previous relationships and he has one child from a previous marriage.
Why she stayed
Why did the former spice girl stay in and abusive relationship? Her answer is that her life and career were in danger of sabotage and she was threatened with violence.
On Monday, The former Spice Girl got a restraining order against her estranged husband after detailing the extreme physical abuses she suffered during her marriage. She also reported that he owns a firearm. The 41 year old Melanie Brown had recently filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences" She had asked for an end to spousal support to her husband and joint custody of their 6 year old.
