Source: Grace Cary / Getty
No longer silenced by the stifling and isolating struggle of being an abuse victim, a Florida woman shared snippets of the terrifying suffering she’s endured at the hands of her youngest child’s father.
A mother of four, Trameka goes by @radiantresilent on TikTok. Since May 1, she’s posted audio clips, text messages and videos wherein she’s been bombarded with verbal abuse, death threats and harassment. In the disturbing clips, her abuser is angry, out of control and menacing.
Trameka has identified her former partner as Austin “Taz” Easterling.
One clip shared May 1 has garnered the attention of over 2.3 million views on TikTok. Austin is seen violently yelling at the mother of his child as he stands on the passenger side of a car with his head in the window. Trameka is positioned in the driver’s seat. Many TikTok users flooded the comments and highlighted that they heard Austin cocking a gun before the terrifying– but brief video ended.
In the text, written over the video, the mother gave context about her abuser’s outburst.
“He was MAD because I fell asleep and my phone was on DND, and he thought I BLOCKED HIM.”
“So tell me, [does] this give him the right?” she asked those who victim blamed her.
In other extraordinarily triggering and frightening clips, Trameka posted sound bites of what seemed to be moments where she was physically abused or in fear of it happening.
Discretion while listening is advised. The sounds of her fearful cries and her abuser’s unwavering anger are gut-wrenching.
In other posts, Austin repeatedly told Trameka, “I’m coming for you,” and “You dead.”
The distraught mother also highlighted her fear for the safety of her infant son, whom she shares with Austin. In one audio clip, the abuser says, “Fuck you and that baby, bitch.”
He also threatened to go through the court system and attempt to get the child legally taken away from her.
“God, only you can change this situation. I am receiving death threats from this man and his peeps. I tried to protect myself, but I am constantly harassed and STALKED,” Trameka wrote on top of a video shared May 1. “This man has already put a gun to [my] head. I call for help, but it’s nothing they can do. I am scared for my life. Everyone knows I’m a private person, so this is serious.”
Trameka left the phone numbers of several city law enforcement agencies so those who want to support her can call and report her case.
For the Broward County Sherriff’s Office, she listed the name of Sheriff Gregory Tony in particular. She also included contact information for Miami-Dade County’s Police Department and the Broward State Attorney’s Office.
She also shared her CashApp, $MekasCreations, for those who want to send financial aid. The mother of four explained that while she has an active restraining order against Austin, “Miami-Dade is refusing to pick him up on violations.”
“BSO [Broward Sheriff’s Office] did their part, but they can’t go into Miami-Dade to get him.”
The intense severity of Trameka’s story isn’t in a silo.
Tragically, many Black women have suffered untimely deaths at the hands of their romantic partners. Black women have used social media as a tool to amplify their fears while being victims of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), as MADAMENOIRE has previously reported.
In October 2020, Aziza Murphy posted the abusive messages and threats she received from a former romantic partner. She filed a restraining order. According to the detailed messages, police arrested him for subjecting women in four other states to similar behavior.
MN also reported, in March 2023, that going Live on social media while recording domestic violence has become a trend.
In late April, we covered the tragic case of 20-year-old Pashun Jeffery, who was allegedly stabbed to death by her romantic partner hundreds of times in St. Petersburg, Florida. Her son with the alleged killer, 2-year-old Taylen Mosely, was found dead in an alligator’s mouth; the day after police found his mother’s body.
Due to various factors stemming from systemic racism, the Black community deals with higher cases of domestic violence than other racial communities, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
While many cases go unreported, the disturbing statistics on record are as follows:
- 45.1 percent of Black women experience physical violence, sexual violence, or stalking from their intimate partner. In comparison, 1 in 3 women in the U.S., 33.3 percent, experience domestic violence.
- Black women are 80 percent more likely to be convicted for killing their abusive partner after acting in self-defense.
Based on an analysis of 2020 homicide data, the Violence Policy Center highlighted that:
- 90 percent of Black women are murdered by men whom they knew
- 56 percent of female victims were murdered by their husband, common-law husband, ex-husband, or boyfriend
- Nearly two-thirds of non-felony-related homicides involved an argument between the victim and their male killer.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, IPV can occur with a current or former spouse or romantic partner. The aggression can manifest as physical and physiological abuse, sexual violence and stalking.
While many resources may not seem realistic or feasible while trapped in the depths of IPV, there are tools to help women and their children reach safety and freedom.
Creating a safety plan may include building a financial safety net, seeking emergency housing in a shelter, moving to an undisclosed location unknown to your abuser and leaning into the support of any community and loved ones you may have. Most importantly, one must remember that their lives and the lives of their children are worth seeking safety and support.
Please see the resources below.
- The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community [Ujima] serves as a national, culturally-specific services issue resource center to support and be a voice for the Black Community in response to domestic, sexual and community violence.
- The Loveland Foundation is a therapy-focused organization that provides validation, healing and mental health support available to Black women and girls. The organization’s Therapy Fund offers recipients four to 12 sessions with a mental health professional that provides high-quality, culturally competent services.
- If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, contact confidential and trained advocates via the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
