Mel B holds talks at 10 Downing Street about how the government can help women financially trapped in abusive relationships... after her own split left her with '£800 in the bank'
Mel B engaged in talks at 10 Downing Street about how the government can help women who are financially trapped in abusive relationships.
The Spice Girl, 43, arrived at Number 10 armed with a shocking report which revealed that two thirds of women who manage to leave abusive relationships are often left destitute by their former partners, reports the Sun.
The mother-of-three spoke to Theresa May's people about how they can assist these desperate women who are stuck in harmful relationships due to financial reasons.
![On a mission: Mel B engaged in talks at 10 Downing Street about how the government can help women who are financially trapped in abusive relationships](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/08/10638718-6776673-image-m-12_1551860848432.jpg)
On a mission: Mel B engaged in talks at 10 Downing Street about how the government can help women who are financially trapped in abusive relationships
Mel told the publication: 'This is Women's Aid's mission and I am part of their mission to help make it easier for women to break free of those abusive relationships, and to understand that there is support.
'They are pushing to get laws changed and made that are going to protect and help these women when they have left.'
Speaking about her own divorce, she said: 'I had no money to buy Christmas presents so I had help from my best friend who bought all the Christmas dinner for me and bought all the kids presents and stuff.'
![Trapped: The Spice Girl, 43, arrived at Number 10 armed with a shocking report which revealed that two thirds of women who manage to leave abusive relationships are often left destitute by their former partners](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/08/10638712-6776673-image-a-13_1551861018039.jpg)
Trapped: The Spice Girl, 43, arrived at Number 10 armed with a shocking report which revealed that two thirds of women who manage to leave abusive relationships are often left destitute by their former partners
She previously claimed she was left with less than £800 in the bank after her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte took control of her £80million fortune.
Mel, who accused Stephen of abusing her, said her luxury properties and collections of art and furniture were reduced to a paltry bank account and 'suitcases full of clothes' after the end of her marriage.
All allegations of abuse Stephen faced by Mel were dismissed by the court during their bitter legal battle over custody of their daughter, Madison, seven.
!['Honoured': Mel B shared this snap on Instagram alongside the author of her tell-all book Brutally Honest with the caption 'honoured'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/12/10647082-6776673-image-a-66_1551874012374.jpg)
'Honoured': Mel B shared this snap on Instagram alongside the author of her tell-all book Brutally Honest with the caption 'honoured'
The couple received 50/50 custody over their daughter and Stephen now receives $5,000 (£3800) a month in child support, on top of the $15,000 (£11,500) a month in spousal support that he’s already been getting.
The singer has made the claims in her autobiography called Brutally Honest, she said: 'In the past 20-something years of my life, I have made more than £80million.
'When I met my second husband [Stephen], I had a house and a loft apartment in LA and a good career. When I left him I walked away with $936 in a bank.'
![Split: She previously claimed she was left with less than £800 in the bank after her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte (left) took control of her £80million fortune (pictured in 2015)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/08/10639552-6776673-image-m-18_1551861750371.jpg)
Split: She previously claimed she was left with less than £800 in the bank after her ex-husband Stephen Belafonte (left) took control of her £80million fortune (pictured in 2015)
In the book, she said: 'I became a woman who didn't have her own computer, didn't drive herself, didn't know her bank details, didn't make decisions.'
She said she hoped her book would 'expose' her ex-partner for any other women he took an interest in.
Mel and Stephen - who split up in March 2017 - were divorced in December 2017 after a long-running battle in which lurid tales of kinky sex, drug and alcohol abuse and allegations of domestic violence made headlines.
![Shocking: Mel, who has accused Stephen of abusing her, said her luxury properties and collections of art and furniture were reduced to a paltry bank account and 'suitcases full of clothes' after the end of her marriage](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/08/10638714-6776673-image-a-15_1551861285124.jpg)
Shocking: Mel, who has accused Stephen of abusing her, said her luxury properties and collections of art and furniture were reduced to a paltry bank account and 'suitcases full of clothes' after the end of her marriage
Stephen always denied the allegations and the courts sided with him throwing out a temporary domestic violence restraining order.
Despite their divorce being final for a year, trying to settle complicated issues between them, mostly over children and money dragged on through the summer, with Mel estimating that she's spent more than $1 million in legal fees and owes another $800,000 to attorneys and accountants.
In the report which Mel delivered to 10 Downing Street, The Economics Of Abuse, published by Women's Aid the scale of women trapped in abusive relationships due to financial strain is laid bare.
Almost half of women who took part in the survey admitted that they didn't have enough money to their name to pay for food and bills while with their partner.
![Moving on: Mel and Stephen - who split up in March 2017 - were divorced in December 2017 after a long-running battle in which lurid tales of kinky sex, drug and alcohol abuse and allegations of domestic violence made headlines](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/03/06/08/10638710-6776673-image-a-16_1551861691229.jpg)
Moving on: Mel and Stephen - who split up in March 2017 - were divorced in December 2017 after a long-running battle in which lurid tales of kinky sex, drug and alcohol abuse and allegations of domestic violence made headlines
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