Mother-of-Six Shares Abuse Experience to Aid Others in Escaping Domestic Violence

A woman with six children, whose partner threatened her life, has expressed her desire to increase understanding of abusive relationships and provide guidance on how to leave them. Kelly Walker’s former boyfriend, Adria Noblet, exhibited progressively controlling behavior throughout their 16-year relationship. Noblet received a custodial sentence and a restraining order subsequent to Ms. Walker documenting the abuse on her mobile phone and reporting it to the South Yorkshire Police force. Ms. Walker is scheduled to appear as a guest speaker at a domestic violence event taking place at The Red Lion in Askern, Doncaster, this Friday. Ms. Walker recounted: “I used to walk on eggshells. I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating.” She continued: “I love to cook and I run a food bank, but he used to tell me my food was shocking and even threw it over me once – and I’d believe it was my fault.” Ms. Walker added: “You’re living in it, you’re in the thick of it; you’re not stepping back and looking at the situation.” The situation escalated to a critical point one evening when Noblet threatened to “slit her throat” in the presence of their daughters, subsequently damaging her vehicle with a hammer. Following that incident, Ms. Walker departed with her children and presented her evidence to law enforcement. Noblet admitted guilt to charges of criminal damage and making threats to kill at Sheffield Crown Court earlier this year, resulting in a three-year prison sentence. Ms. Walker stated that since her departure with her children, their lives have seen improvement, with “every day gets more beautiful,” and she now aims to assist others in achieving a similar outcome. She urged: “I urge anybody who’s going through this, to step back and look at the behaviour – would you want your daughter or son to live like that?” She continued: “If the answer’s no, you should walk away.” Ms. Walker advised: “The best thing I can say to do, and the reason he got a substantial sentence, is to record it.” Despite her former partner’s imprisonment, she believes that authorities “could do a lot better” in supporting victims of domestic abuse. She mentioned that she was not provided with counselling and had to “beg” for a female officer to be present during her police interview. Furthermore, she expressed concern regarding her safety following her abuser’s release, notwithstanding the existence of a 10-year restraining order. Detective Chief Inspector James Horsfield, who leads on domestic abuse for South Yorkshire Police, stated: “No one should live in fear, and we continue to urge anyone affected by domestic abuse to come forward and report it to us.” He indicated that the police force employs various strategies to protect victims, such as supplying them with technology designed to facilitate a quicker response to emergency situations. He further noted that they collaborate with partner organizations to guarantee that suitable support is provided “from the moment victims make a report.” This Friday, Ms. Walker is scheduled to deliver a presentation at the Voices for Change: A Night for Empowerment event. The event aims to offer guidance on identifying the warning signs of domestic abuse and to generate funds for charities that assist victims. For highlights from South Yorkshire, listeners can tune into BBC Sounds, view the most recent episode of Look North, or submit a story they believe warrants coverage. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available for review.