EP 17 Sleeping with the Enemy: When Love Turns Deadly

In this powerful solo episode of Page2Pulse, Allyson Collins explores the chilling parallels between the film Sleeping with the Enemy and real-life tragedies. From the devastating deaths of Ashlee Janae, Cerina Fairfax, Bianca Huntley, and near tragedy of Shaneiqua Pugh, and to the broader crisis impacting African American women, this episode unpacks how control, narcissism, and separation can turn love into something lethal—and why awareness alone is not enough.

Transcript

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Welcome to Page to Pulse. I'm your host, Allison Collins. Today's episode is not easy, but it is necessary. We're talking about sleeping with the enemy, a film that many saw as suspense. But for some women, it's reality. Because sometimes the most dangerous place a woman can be in love with the wrong person. The film stars Julia Roberts as a woman living in a controlled abusive marriage. And what makes this story unsettling is not just the violence, it's the control, the precision, the fear of doing something as small as moving a towel out of place. Because abuse doesn't always begin with a hit. Sometimes it begins with monitoring, isolation, perfectionism, control disguised as care. This isn't love. This is power. It's when you leave. Because leaving represents something an abuser cannot tolerate. Loss of control. And when control is threatened, violence often escalates. Today I want to focus on four black women who tragically encountered the loss of their lives or nearly lost her life. I want to start off by talking about Ashley Janae, a woman whose life was taken in a moment that should have been filled with love. Ashley had recently celebrated her 31st birthday. She was engaged. She was stepping into what many would call a new chapter. But behind that celebration, there were signs.

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Possessiveness. Emotional volatility.

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Ashley was murdered. What should have been a celebration of life became a story of loss. And this is what makes these cases so painful. Because from the outside, everything can look perfect. Chaniqua Pugh. In Louisiana, another story unfolded. Shenica Pugh made a decision. She chose to leave her marriage.

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She filed for a divorce. She chose herself.

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But for her husband, that decision represented something else. Loss. Control slipping away. Her husband, Shamar Elkins, carried out a horrific act. He murdered seven of his own children. Another child also lost their life. He then turned to God on Shaniqua. She survived. But her life and the lives of those children were forever changed. This is what escalation looks like. This is what happens when control becomes more important than life. Serena Fairfax. Let's talk about Dr. Serena Fairfax, a successful dentist in Virginia. A professional woman. They found Serena Fairfax, deceased. Her husband, Justin Fairfax, the former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, has shot and killed her before taking his own life. They were in the middle of a divorce. A judge had ordered him to leave the home. Their children were inside the home. The case reminds us of something critical. Abuse does not care about education, status, public image. Because behind closed doors, control can exist anywhere. On April 14th, 34-year-old Bianca Huntley, a pregnant mother of two, who was about, I believe, four and a half months pregnant, was shot in Kiel while driving home from work during rush hour traffic on I-75 north near Hartsville, Jackson, Atlanta International Airport, driving her BMW. There have not been any suspects identified in her murder. Now we have to talk about the reality of many avoid. Because these stories are not isolated. They are part of a much larger pattern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four women in the United States will experience severe intimate partner violence in their lifetime. One out of four. Let that marinate. More than fifty-five percent of female homicide victims are killed by current or former intimate partner. Disproportionately impacted. Data shows that African American women are more likely to experience domestic violence than white women, more likely to be killed by an intimate partner, and often less likely to receive media attention or sustain coverage. Sad news, isn't it? According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly twenty people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. That's more than 10 million people every year. Let that sink in. Studies show that victims are at a greater risk of homicide during separation or shortly after. Say their names. I want you to say their names. Ashley Janae, Shanika Pugh, Serena Fairfax, and Bianca Huntley. Please know this. You are not alone. And there is help available. You can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233, which spells out SAFE. You can text start two eight eight seven eight eight or visit the hotline.org. They are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And your call is confidential and free. Now, of course, if you are ever in immediate danger, please, please call 911. And if you're supporting someone, listen without judgment. Help them create a safety plan. Remind them they deserve to feel safe.

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How do we move from awareness to action?

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Because awareness without action changes nothing. Thank you for listening to Page to Pulse. I'm Alison Collins. Stay aware, stay safe, and protect your peace.