Today
Februrary 18, 2022
By Danielle Campoamor
Excerpt:
A lot has been said about what has publicly transpired between Kanye West and his soon-to-be ex-wife Kim Kardashian West.
West, who formally changed his name to “Ye,” has published and since-deleted multiple public pleas for his estranged wife to come back: targeting her current boyfriend, Pete Davidson; sharing a photo of a truck filled with roses delivered to Kardashian West’s home; posting private conversations between the two co-parents; claiming one of his children, North, was using TikTok without his permission.
West later reportedly said he took “accountability” for actions that “came off as harassing” his estranged wife, in a post on Instagram he also later deleted.
Many have pointed to West’s well-documented mental health issues, saying West is a man who clearly needs help and support. Others see a man “fighting for his family” and using grand romantic gestures to profess his love. Some still point to the two co-parents’ new business endeavors — for West, an upcoming album, for Kardashian West, a new reality show on Hulu — arguing the pair are simply masters of self-promotion and marketing.
Of course, we never know what is actually going on with celebrities whose lives we witness in curated doses. TODAY reached out to both Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West for comment on the record and has not gotten a response.
But TODAY spoke to people who have been harassed by an ex-partner who say what they’re seeing on social media and in the news feels eerily familiar, and is bringing back memories of a situation that should be taken far more seriously, whether the people involved are famous or not.
“The media is not taking the situation very seriously and reinforcing the idea that this type of behavior is not that big of a deal, or is a mental health issue. The situation is being seen as entertainment, normal celebrity drama, or even a romantic gesture.” She added: “In reality, for many, this is a reminder that leaving an emotionally and/or physically abusive situation is not always the end of the power and control an abusive partner can have and just how far someone may go to maintain it.”
Painful memories
“Survivors can relate to what is transpiring between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian,” Christine Perumal, director of legal services for the Domestic Violence Law Project at Safe Horizon, tells TODAY. “Since Kardashian decided to end the relationship, file for divorce, has the children in her care most of the time and is a new relationship, as a result, West may feel like he is losing some of the control he once had over Kardashian and their family. It’s common that situations will escalate once parties are going through litigation and this could be something that survivors can relate to as well.”
No amount of money makes you immune
Kardashian West has a private security team and access to additional support she may need due to her wealth and fame, something most women don’t have when they feel threatened. But, no amount of money or celebrity can make someone immune from experiencing harassment or toxic behavior from an ex-partner or spouse.
“It’s disheartening to see how quickly the blame is put on Kim — and a lot of it is people pointing out the fact that she ‘chose to have children with him,'” Charissa, 24, tells TODAY. (Her last name is being withheld to protect her privacy.) “Her choice to once be married to him or procreate with him doesn’t justify his behavior, especially since Kim has pleaded for him to stop.”