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Trigger Warning: This article discusses domestic violence
Malin Andersson is being praised for raising awareness of domestic abuse by sharing images of her neck scars and demanding more education on violence in relationships.
The former Love Island star, 29, shared the image on Instagram as she urged the government to do more for domestic abuse victims.
She also called for more education on relationships and domestic abuse in schools and universities.
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"I feel we need a prevention.. rather than having to find a cure for this," she wrote in the caption. "I want the younger generation growing up made aware of what red flags are; what a narcissist is.. what’s normal and what isn’t isn’t."
After encouraging her followers to share their thoughts in the comments, people praised Malin for sharing her experiences and agreed that more education.
One Instagram user wrote: “Not enough done for women being protected, education would be a massive key, your work Malin stands for so much. You use your platform for the better and there are definitely angels looking over you.”
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Some women shared their own experiences in the comments, with one saying: “It's so surreal that the more time that passes the more I feel like it happened to me in a completely different life time. And then triggers me, and I can feel as suffocated and trapped as if I'm right back in those moments with him.
"People just don't seem to understand how exhausting that can be unless you're talking to somebody who has experienced similar.”
Other Instagram users said they want the government to implement more education.
"I think more education is a MUST," another person in the comments declared. "People need to understand what is acceptable in a relationship and what isn't. As a mother of three, I will definitely be educating my girls as to what is ok and what isn't, from either side.”
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Dozens of people agreed, with one person responding with: "Agreed! It needs to be prevented!!! We need to be taught that it isn’t right. I was no older than 20 and manipulated by him into dropping charges twice after that I stopped telling anybody."
Malin's ex-boyfriend, Tom Kemp, was jailed in September 2020 after admitting actual bodily harm. Malin has shared images of her bruises and cuts in the past to raise awareness for domestic abuse victims.
Malin's Instagram caption includes an excerpt from her book Positivity is our Superpower in which she said she felt 'vindicated' when her ex-boyfriend was convicted.
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The caption reads: "When he changed his plea to guilty at the eleventh hour, I cried in sheer relief. In September 2020, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. I’d finally got justice, and even though he served only three months of his sentence, I was vindicated."
Before pleading guilty, Kemp denied he had assaulted Malin and branded her a 'liar with mental health issues'.
In her caption accompanying the picture of her scars, she added: "Numbers are rising more and more people need help; yet our justice system is becoming less responsive.
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"I feel a heavy heart sometimes when I look back on this period of my life, having to go through court and submit evidence back and forth for over a year.. to get justice, but then to also hear that was released after just three months.
"The bittersweet moment of a survivor. Even getting him sentenced was difficult, if it wasn’t for video footage I had (it was really bad and only the police have seen this so far) I don’t know what would have happened. Per 100 domestic abuse related police calls, only 33 arrests are made.
"With demands on domestic abuse helplines increasing 22 per cent since March last year, surely this is a cry for help for the government to do more.
For help and support, call Refuge's freephone, 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit the website here.
Gregory Robinson