Malin Andersson wants to be open with her daughter (Picture: Instagram/ missmalinsara)
Malin Andersson suffered shocking physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her former partner for years, and believes the death of her eldest daughter as a baby was partly down to the violence she faced.
However, despite the former Love Island star’s harrowing past, she is determined to be as open as possible with her living daughter Xaya.
Malin, 32, was left with visible injuries as well as long-lasting emotional scars at the hands of her ex-partner Tom Kemp, who was jailed in September 2020.
Kemp was the father of her first daughter, Consy, who died aged just four weeks old on January 22, 2019, after being born seven weeks premature.
As her youngest daughter gets older, Malin is noticing that Xaya (whose father is ex-partner Jared), is becoming more aware of the world around her. She has started asking about photos of Consy that are dotted around their home.
Malin has now confirmed that she plans to be as open as possible to her toddler about her history of domestic abuse. She sees the conversations as inevitable and is already preparing for her little girl to ask questions.
Domestic abuse in pregnancy
According to the NHS, pregnancy can act as a trigger for domestic abuse, and existing abuse may get worse during this time
Safe Lives found in 2018 that 30% of domestic abuse commences during pregnancy
About 20% of women in Refuge’s services are pregnant or have recently given birth
In 2001, it was recommended that pregnant women should be routinely asked about domestic violence during appointments
‘I’ll definitely speak to her about it,’ Malin tells Metro.
‘It’s really important, because education is everything. Knowledge is power. She will understand because the craziest and saddest part is often people don’t recognise it.
‘I know one day she’ll ask me how Consy died, and the abuse was a big part of her death. I was beaten black and blue when I was pregnant, and that had a huge impact,’ she adds.
Domestic abuse during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, infection, premature birth, and injury or death. Around 36% of pregnant women experience verbal abuse, 20% experience sexual violence, and 14% experience severe physical violence, according to Women’s Aid.
Malin has already started the subject of consent with Xaya using age-appropriate language.
She explains: ‘Me and her dad are really good with stuff like that. This might sound weird, but we say “No one touches nulu, just mummy and daddy during nappy changes”.
‘I look at her, she’s so innocent and pure, and I don’t want any man near her, but I think the power resides within her. I want to develop her into being a strong but loving girl who knows her self worth, and understands what she truly deserves.’
Malin wants to make sure her daughter knows her power (Picture: Instagram/@missmalinsara)
What to do if you’re experiencing domestic abuse
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. And whether …read more
Source:: Metro
