Nene Gets Personal

NeNe talks about being abused and how she wants to help others.

Posted By - Eve Chen
ATLANTA -- It's one of the most popular TV shows here and across the country - The Real Housewives of Atlanta. As part of the next season, one of the show's stars, NeNe Leakes, is trying her hand at TV stories on 11Alive News Today.

This story was close to her heart.

"One thing a lot of people don't know about me is that I was a victim of domestic abuse," NeNe said. "It was very hard for me. I was very young."

"He pulled a gun on me," she recalled. "I thought he would kill me at some point. It's the very reason why I needed to get out of the relationship. And then my child, I wanted my child to be better. I didn't want my child to be raised in an abusive environment and do the same thing."

"When I got this opportunity with 11Alive, I wanted to do a Random Act of Kindness and raise awareness about domestic abuse," NeNe said. "I just want to reach out to women and hear their story and help them in any way I can."

That's how NeNe met Rasheeda, a single mom and fellow survivor of domestic violence.

"It started really mentally," Rasheeda said of her ex. "I mean picking my friends. He picked the clothes I wore."

"He was like 'I'm ready to go' and just takes the beer and he throws it in my face," she recalled. "He dragged me out of the club [one] night. He busted my lip that night and he choked me and pressed my eyes. It was to the point where I was screaming and his sister wound up calling the police."

"You want to leave," Rasheeda added. "It's just like your own intuition saying you know this is unhealthy for you. You know you gotta go.'"

She eventually got out of the relationship.

With some help from NeNe, 11Alive, Van Michael Salon and Swank Boutique, Rasheeda got a brand new look for her fresh start.

"I feel great," Rasheeda said. "I feel great."