This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
On July 23, 2019, a Kenyan woman narrowly escaped death after her ex-boyfriend's brutal attack left her for dead.
Stella, whose name has been withheld for her protection, had been in an abusive relationship with the man, who was from a wealthy family.
Despite his family's wealth, Stella's ex-boyfriend had a history of theft, often stealing from her and selling the items to make money.
"I had this guy and he was very abusive," Stella said. "One day he broke into my house, strangled me into unconsciousness, and threw me over the balcony. Despite the fact that it was only the first floor, it was a bit high up. My neighbours came to my rescue and took me to the hospital. My parents came, we went to the police, and before this, he had abused me several times and used to blame it on him being high on alcohol, so I used to forgive him."
Stella's ex-boyfriend's abuse went beyond physical violence. He would often call her parents while strangling her, leaving her feeling helpless and trapped.
"He called my mum while strangling me and told my mum that my cry for help would be the last thing she would hear from me," Stella recalled. "He threw my phone into the aquarium so that I don’t ask for help, he then threw me over the balcony and when I gained consciousness, I was in a hospital bed."
It was only after a police officer warned Stella that she might end up dead if she stayed in the relationship that she finally found the courage to leave her abuser.
