The pain and hardship you’ve endured is immense, and it takes incredible strength to share your story. For Wendy Francis over two decades, she lived through various forms of abuse—mental, emotional, financial—all while trying to protect her children.
The courage it took to leave, despite the threats and manipulation, and the struggle to rebuild your life after 2014 speaks to the resilience within you.
Your journey of moving to a new country to start afresh, only to be followed and controlled once again, illustrates the hold that abuse can have. The fact that you sought to shield your children from such a destructive environment, only for them to witness it too, shows the far-reaching impact of domestic abuse.
The cycles of violence, threats, gaslighting, and manipulation you described are chilling, especially the terrifying moments when your life was at risk.
In 2022, 2021, I just said, I need to get out, and I was trying to get out, and as much as I tried to get out, I filed for a divorce. I got papers ripped up in my face, until now. I’ll always be here, I’ll never, or you’ll never amount to enough.
In June 2023, William Benjamin Francis my husband 58 years old tried to take my life by strangle me, in front of my daughter, that passed away later. If it wasn’t for her, to what degree I wouldn’t be alive? I would have been the one that was gone.
My husband was charged with strangulation against me in Nottingham Supreme Court he plead guilty and was sentenced to 9 months prison sentence – to run consecutively along with current sentence. William will serve half and the rest on licence. William Francis is currently in prison for 3 years 11 month for possession to supply cannabis. Earliest release date – 24/12/2025.
I also have a Restraining Order granted against him until further notice, William Francis also faces a 5 years imprisonment sentence if order is breached.
Continuing on you know, three months later, my daughter Brianna Francis passed away, October the 20th, 2023. I’ve just been living through life with grief of losing a child. And it’s the hardest thing, especially when a father looks his children in the eyes and says, I hate you all should die, because I have had enough. I had enough of this relationship. I want out, I was getting out, and he couldn’t take it. And he thought that to me, was the best thing. Tell me, It’s very hard.
TNN Reporter: How many children do you have?
I have four children. One boy and three girls. Oh my God. So, your children had to go through all of this trauma, that you had to endure. Yep. So you didn’t let nobody know what I was going through. People didn’t understand why things were going on in my life. Some people said they knew what was going on, some people said they didn’t. And obviously, you had substance abuse issues that played a big part on it too. But yeah, it was just hard. It’s just, I’m living with it now. I’m just grieving my daughter. And that was due to the lack, of what happened with her. You know, so now I’m going to go through a whole case of damage and suffering.
But I think I have support now. I have like a big support system because people now know what I’ve been going through.
TNN Reporter: I’m sure you obviously was in love with your husband.
Most definitely but It turned. Yeah. Then it turned. It turned 2014. That’s when I left Bermuda because I needed to get away from it because I just didn’t like that lifestyle. I didn’t like it. I didn’t want it. I didn’t want my children to be in it. And I just left.
TNN Reporter: The lifestyle was the substance abuse you’re talking about?
Yeah, the substance abuse and the abuse that was being imposed on me. Um, so I just said, I need to get up and just go. I came out here England, and I got my life in order. And then this man came England and followed me. It’s like, living a life that you have no life of your own. Somebody’s just controlling you and telling you what to do. Pulling every string. You know, you’re going to sit there and you’re going to take everything that they do because you’re so scared. You’re scared. You’re living in fear.
You’re walking on eggshells in your own house, Everything I built in 2014, he tried to bring it down.
TNN Reporter: What might you say to that woman that might be walking that same path?
What might you say to that person to, help them?
You have to be strong. Honestly, you have to be strong. You have to find somebody that you can trust and just be able to say something. You have to get out because you’re going to find yourself in a situation where you’re going to find yourself buried six feet under. Or something that’s going to happen, honestly, because it’s not the first time he’s tried to take my life. He’s been locked up numerous times for domestic abuse. He just felt like he was above the law. And everything that he does, he feels that he’s above the law. He told me that no policeman could stop him from being his wife and type of stuff like that.
So, I’m just telling you, you just really need to reach out to somebody because it’s not a nice feeling living like that. You make yourself sick inside, Literally. It’s time for, you know, for my children that has been through this, it’s time for us all to just, just be happy.
And right here, right now, I’m happy. I’m happy. But I’m grieving. My heart’s broken. Because of my daughter. My heart is so broken. I would never wish any parent to lose any child. Honestly, like, my children are my world.
It’s heartbreaking that in addition to the abuse, you also faced the unbearable loss of your daughter, which no parent should ever have to experience. And despite all of that, you stand here, willing to share your story to help others who might be walking a similar path. Your message about the importance of reaching out for help, of not staying silent, could be a lifeline for others enduring abuse.
You’re right—sometimes people may suspect something is wrong but don’t know how to approach it. And for the person in the situation, the fear and shame can make it feel impossible to speak out. But your courage to finally break free, even in the face of further threats, shows that it is possible. I can finally say I received my divorce papers and I’m free from this terrible nightmare.
Your grief, your strength, and your advocacy for others who might be facing similar circumstances resonate deeply. If there’s anything I can do to help craft your message further, or offer support in your healing journey, I’m here for you.
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