Angelica Cheyenne 
Grammy nominated singer FKA Twigs takes to Twitter to share her domestic violence experience. The talented singer songwriter was allegedly physically and emotionally abused by award-winning actor Shia LaBeouf during their year long relationship.
FKA Twigs uses her platform to show solidarity with other domestic violence survivors and provides resources for other domestic violence victims who need help in a string of tweets.
“I hope that by sharing my experience I can truly help others feel like they are not alone,” FKA Twigs tweeted on Friday.
FKA Twigs, born Tahliah Debrett Barnett, filed a lawsuit against Shia LaBeouf for physical and mental abuse during their relationship from 2018-2019. As first reported by The New York Times, the lawsuit was filed Friday in a Los Angeles Superior Court. The lawsuit outlines multiple alleged aggressive attacks that Barnett endured during her relationship with LaBeouf.
Allegedly LaBeouf isolated her from other people, knowingly gave her a sexually transmitted disease, verbally assaulted her and forcefully demanded a certain amount of daily kisses. LaBeouf also allegedly strangled Barnett against his car on Valentine’s Day in 2019 after Barnett tried to escape from one of his angry outbursts.
The accusations of LaBeouf in the lawsuits also mirror accusations from other women. Stylist Karolyn Pho and ex-girlfriend of Shia LaBeouf was also referenced in Barnett’s lawsuit as another woman abused by LaBeouf. In 2011, LaBeouf allegedly berated Pho in a taxi ride home from a party, telling her “You know I’m going to kill you.” In 2012 LaBeouf allegedly violently berated Pho while on a plane ride with her to New York Fashion Week, and later that night LaBeouf allegedly pinned Pho to the bed and headbutted her during their stay at a hotel.
The lawsuit is a part of Barnett’s attempt to save other women from encountering the same abuse from LaBeouf and stopping LaBeouf’s aggressive behavior altogether. Barnett’s attorney Bryan Freedman told USA Today, “Shia LaBoeuf has abused Ms. Barnett, Ms.Pho and others. We tried to resolve this matter privately on the condition that Mr. LaBeouf agree to receive meaningful and consistent psychological treatment. Since he was unwilling to agree to get appropriate help, Ms. Barnett filed this suit to prevent others from unknowingly suffering similar abuse by him.”
Barnett clarifies within the suit that she plans to donate portions of any awarded damages towards charities that help domestic violence victims. Barnett’s ultimate goal with publicizing such a traumatic experience is to simply help other women avoid or escape abusive relationships.
“My second worst nightmare is being forced to share with the world that I am a survivor of domestic violence. My first worst nightmare is not telling anyone and knowing that I could have helped even just one person by sharing my story,” Barnett a.k.a FKA Twigs tweeted.
LaBeouf addressed the allegations in an email to The New York Times stating, “I’m not in any position to tell anyone how my behavior made them feel. I have no excuses for my alcoholism or aggression, only rationalizations. I have been abusive to myself and everyone around me for years. I have a history of hurting the people closest to me. I’m ashamed of that history and am sorry to those I hurt. There is nothing else I can really say.”
Read the full lawsuit here
Brandon Foley 
