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Colin Graham, left, and his girlfriend, Iyah Jacobs. (iWN photos)
Colin Graham, left, and his girlfriend, Iyah Jacobs. (iWN photos)

A prospective candidate for the main opposition New Democratic Party on Thursday said he is happy that his girlfriend has made public his abuse of her, saying it is an opportunity for him to grow and become a better person.

DJ and radio personality Colin “Hitman” Graham, asked that no one abuse or vilify his girlfriend, Iyah Jacobs, who made the issue public on Wednesday in a Facebook post that she quickly deleted.

Graham said he and Jacobs have both apologised to each other and again used his radio appearance to apologise to his lover.

The development comes in a week that the NDP announced that Graham has passed the first stage of the candidate selection process in East St. George, which could see him running against Minister of Economic Development, Camillo Gonsalves, son of Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.

“… I want to just start by saying that I applaud her for her courage for coming out and highlighting the issue of domestic abuse and violence,” Graham said in an interview on Thursday on Hot 97 FM, where he is an announcer.

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“It is an issue that definitely needs to be addressed and I applaud her for her courage and for taking such a brave and bold step in coming out and addressing the issue and I want nobody, absolutely nobody to vilify her, to abuse her on social media, to chastise her, to condemn her. More than anything, we should lift her up and praise her for coming out and doing what she did,” Graham said.

In her post, Jacobs, a student nurse, said it has been three to four years since she met/dated Graham, who she identified as “the newly elected candidate for ESG, representing the new democratic party, SVG”.

She said that the first year of the relationship was “good” but from year two onward was “not so good”.

“I’ve been a victim of Holistic domestic abuse and yes I have medical and police record as evidence. But how? Why haven’t you left? You sure must’ve loved it they might say! On the outside looking in, STUPID is a perfect word for victims like me. I said it too when I looked on at what my mother allowed.

“I’m not in denial that I wasn’t a handful, I’m not in denial that I’ve said and done things to trigger such a response but I’ve grown and realized that in no way is domestic abuse acceptable! If I’m too much to handle, leave me at Jesus feet.”

It is not clear if that is where the post ended, but that was all was captured by a screen capture of the post that Hot 97 shared on its Facebook page.

Jacobs made the post a week after she and Graham has spent time together on Bequia, a northern Grenadines island, but did not say if the abuse had stopped.

On Thursday, she told iWitness news that she prefers not to talk about the post.

“can you please put in your post that I SAID this entire country is like Rome? the end is sure near. this nation like my soul needs prayer especially 2kool chris,” Jacobs told iWitness News via Facebook Messenger, but declined to elaborate, saying, “No further comment”

In his radio interview, Graham said he was not there “to deny anything or defend anything.

“We are all human beings and I am a man. We all make our mistakes and we all fall short from time to time and we have our shortcomings. We have both made our apologies to one another on a personal level but I take the opportunity here again now to apologise and to say sorry and to ask her for her continued forgiveness.”

Graham said the issue is clearly one that needed to be highlighted and is being highlighted now.

“And, like I say, I am proud of her courage for coming out,” he said, adding that there are other instances of domestic abuse and violence against women that continue to fester in the county.

“And I want persons out there now to use this present situation and this issue now of myself and Iyah Jacobs as a way and a means and a platform for other women out there to come out… and speak out against it and for persons who are in  — because now I can say I am in it, I know what it is, I know what it is like, I know the damage and the hurt and the pain it can cause. And like I said, I make my apologies,” said Graham, a 39-year-old divorcee, who was on the receiving end of physical abuse in a previous relationship.

“We have to own up to our shortcomings and I have done that. She knows that and I will continue to grow as a human being, accept my wrongs, take my criticism where need be. And if I am coming forward as the next possible representative for East St. George, I have to be the person that I have always been and continue to be but I am glad for all of this now because it has now given me the opportunity to come out of me being myself and now grow and becoming a better person and a greater person.

“Again, I want to apologise to Iyah. I’m so sorry. We’ve done that privately already. I am not going to elaborate on our relationship. I am not going to continue to fuel this because there is clearly other bigger issues in the country that need to be addressed and should be addressed and domestic abuse and violence against women is definitely one,” Graham said, and reiterated that Jacobs should be applauded “for her bravery in coming forward and doing this”.

12 replies on “Budding politician praises girlfriend for talking about their abusive relationship”

  1. Please! Please! Pretty Please! Chewps!

    “We are all hypocrites,
    passionate on
    crime, sex and drama

    We are all hypocrites,
    building our
    two-dimensional dioramas

    We think fast,
    our half-witted brains
    conniving

    We talk fast,
    our foolproof tongues
    praising

    We love to hate others,
    and bask in the glory
    of their demise

    We hate to love our brothers,
    for all our speeches
    are mem’rized

    Stepping stones from naivety
    Our vainglorious insanity
    Romanticizing reality

    The hand that
    feeds us
    is our enemy

    When will this stop?”

  2. It takes courage from both of them to talk about this. Maybe smart too, otherwise the shadow department would make sure all kinds of “bad” is spread about the country.
    Usually to be a politician the image of perfection has to be the perception given. You cannot be a greedy self-centered, power-hungry, woman raping, money stealing irresponsible economic dummy.
    Colin Graham has the courage to own-up”. [Another politician does] not have this courage. He denies absolutely everything! It shows that politicians are the weakest self-serving scum that exists. Think about this next time you vote.

  3. I am happy that this young man see that he have a problem… And others should come forward and do likewise…weather it is men or women…because I know of someone that her so call man is beating her all in front of her kids. And she is scare to speak out.but I think for them that speak out they should have justice for them….and I think the other will see that the government is putting a stopping to it.and they too will come out and speaking out on what is going on behind close doors.

  4. Esworth Dennie says:

    Thanks to Miss. Jacobs for demonstrating the courage to share a hidden national issue. This is an opportunity for the women advocate (s) of the NDP, and the excellent leaders of the NDP to address this national issue. United we stand.

  5. Why would anyone vote for this guy? Yes we all make mistakes, but if you keep repeating those mistakes it’s no longer a mistake. I think she should continue to speak out – be a role model. Colin should not be a candidate for the NDP.

  6. Yes, people do make mistakes. But decency dictates that he stand down. We should aspire to offer the best and if he is not it, then let get the best there. We will pay for this. Apologies are not indicative of change or improvements or intent to change or improve.

  7. Everyman is a king says:

    He have a sexy beautiful woman. I hope a good man like myself can take her away from a miserable man like him.She should be single or find a better man, or a woman if she is bi sexual.

  8. Abuse does not stop because you are now a politician looking for votes. Abuse does not stop because you said sorry. Abuse does not stop because your lady has accepted your apology. With all due respect, and I say this with heart, you need to get help, not from Jesus as many abusers seem to think, but from a professional who can truly dig into the reasons why and work with you to let go of them by healing yourself and learning to love yourself so you can love others. I am not from SVG but have loved these islands from the first day I met them and while you Sir, may be the person required by your country to enter the political arena for many other reasons, you should stand down until your inner pain has become love both professionally and personally, and this will take time.

    One cannot look after people in a responsible manner if you cannot understand and love yourself. Standing down, seeking help would show your real desire to be a better man.

    My wish is to see the abuse we humans seem to think is normal, simply just stop. All manner of abuse. So as a woman, I am not condemning you Sir, I am actually showing you love….and you will only know this when you yourself can truly love.

    1. I agree Colin, stand down, work on you. If you want to give to the PARTY- work in a “behind the scenes” team! Perhaps in Logistics or PR Campaigns.Don’t let pride and ego make you an unwise-man to the public! If you really commend her for coming out, stand down at this time!

  9. I am seeing here a cycle of abuse, her mom was abused, she saw it and she has allowed herself to be abused. These things are not easily broken. It is good she came out though, that’s a first step. As a family Life Educator, I know these very well. Both the abused and the abuser needs to take the relevant steps if they must end this cycle

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