Content Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, and rape. If you or someone you know are affected by the following story, you are not alone. To speak to someone, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
As revealed by The Chicago Sun-Times, R. Kelly has been indicted on 10 counts of criminal sex abuse by a grand jury in Chicago. This comes after a report surfaced on February 18 that a jury was assembling to discuss R. Kelly’s countless allegations of sexual misconduct that have surfaced in recent years.
Kelly is now expected to appear in bond court on Sunday afternoon, and a warrant has been issued for Kelly’s arrest. The charges relate to Kelly’s sexual interactions with victims aged between 13-16, with the first records of his abuse commencing in 1996.
Each charge carries a sentence of three to seven years in prison, meaning Kelly could face up to 70 years in prison if convicted.
Kelly’s allegations of sexual misconduct have been public knowledge for years, however, the case picked up steam this year following the release of the documentary Lifetime documentary, Surviving R. Kelly, which detailed many of the accusations made against the artist. The docuseries delved deep into Kelly’s “sex cult” from his Chicago home, his physical abuse of women and claims of sexual activity with minors. You can read an outline of Kelly’s history of abuse here.
Kelly’s wrongdoings were first brought into the public eye in 2002 after a video of the singer engaging in sexual acts in with an underage girl surfaced. He was later acquitted by a jury after claiming the man in the video was not him, however, he was indicted on 21 counts of child pornography later in the year.
Since then, despite a continual surfacing of evidence, Kelly has attempted to re-establish his music career, even threatening an Australian tour for this year.
Watch this snippet from Surviving R. Kelly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrJvDouqb_s
