Shraman Mitra
The multi-million dollar empire created by R&B star R. Kelly came crashing down when several women came together to accuse him of racketeering and sexual abuse of minors. While Kelly was involved in such crimes since the 1990s, he managed to escape similar charges in 2008. However, the disgraced singer wasn’t so lucky the second time, as his 2022 federal trial ended with his conviction and sentencing. The Lifetime documentary ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ played an integral role in the singer’s conviction as it gave the survivors a platform to share their experiences and voice their concerns.
Through one-on-one interviews with survivors, their families, journalists, and enablers, ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ draws a shocking picture of the heinous crimes and portrays how Kelly was eventually brought to justice. Jerhonda Pace, one of Kelly’s survivors who appeared in the documentary, detailed the abuse she faced when living with the singer and revealed how it massively affected her life. Well, let’s delve into the details and find out where Jerhonda Pace is at present, shall we?
Who is Jerhonda Pace?
Like most of R. Kelly’s survivors, the singer met Jerhonda when she was a teenager, although the show mentioned that she had initially lied about her age. It did not take long for Kelly and Jerhonda to develop a close bond, and soon the connection turned romantic. Jerhonda was just 16-years-old at that time, but she mentioned Kelly subjected her to inhuman torture and abuse. She added that she was physically punished if she refused to follow Kelly’s instructions. For starters, apart from being forced to address the singer as “daddy,” she was ordered to behave as Kelly desired in front of him.
In one instance, Jerhonda mentioned that the singer taped one of their intimate sessions and later watched the video while correcting her “mistakes.” Moreover, the teen was expected not to make the same “mistakes” the second time, or Kelly would even resort to physical violence. Additionally, she was not free to dress as she wanted, and once, the singer made her stand completely naked even though she later confessed that she was 16.
Naturally, the demand for obedience, demeaning sexual favors, oral sex, and other forms of abuse was too much for Jerhonda to bear. Still, she initially found it quite difficult to leave the R&B star due to the way she was groomed from 16 years of age. However, the very last time she met Kelly, she said he slapped her across the face and abused her verbally, which eventually made Jerhonda make the decision to distance herself from her abuser.
Jerhonda Pace is a Proud Mother Today
While Jerhonda Pace testified against Kelly at his 2022 federal trial as a Jane Doe, her testimony was quite integral in his eventual conviction and sentencing. Besides, she even refused to be classified as a victim and wanted people to know her as a survivor of abuse. Now in her late 20s, Jerhonda is quite vocal when it comes to advocating against sexual abuse and is well-known as the author of ‘Exposing My Abusers,’ in which she detailed her battle against her past demons and how she overcame them.
As of the present, Jerhonda is a loving mother of five — McKenna, Bellamy, Paisley, Noah, and Clay and has been happily married to her best friend since she was 20. Her children and husband mean the world to her, and she would do anything to make this Earth a little safer for them to live in. Besides, a 2020 report claimed that the survivor was at work on a poetry book and even kept her followers updated through a regular blog. It honestly is inspiring to witness Jerhonda’s courage, and we hope happiness and peace never elude her in the years to come.
