‘He clearly couldn’t handle it for one evening’: Dad who can’t look after his own kids becomes public enemy no. 1

Warning: The following contains mention of domestic abuse.

Amber Hollingsworth has taken to TikTok to spread awareness about domestic violence and abusive relationships by sharing videos of her conversations with her attorney ex-partner. According to her page, the two share four children and had been together for 10 years before divorcing four years ago.

She shared with her audience that her husband had an ongoing affair while they were together and she was pregnant, gave her an STI from said affair, and has been physically and emotionally abusive to herself and their children in the past.

Hollingsworth began sharing her journey of moving on from an abusive relationship in June 2023. She immediately received a swarm of support and followers who had been through similar experiences and relationships. Her first viral video highlighted manipulation tactics that her ex used in arguments with her.

In the video, she asks her ex to leave and tells him over and over again that she would like to have the conversation at a later time. He calls her toxic and berates her for not wanting to talk, telling her they should consider separation and divorce. The comment section was full of supporters praising her for the way she handled the conversation.

She later shared a video that demonstrated her ex-husband’s relationship with his kids, saying that he was “enraged” by the idea of taking care of them by himself. He also called her a bad mom for taking a nap.

She has shared evidence of her ex-husband threatening her teenage daughter and stated that he had already faced domestic violence charges and was ordered to stay away from their daughter.

Commenters continue to show support and identify abusive patterns and behaviors that she shows in the videos. Others were left wondering how her ex was still a practicing lawyer, highlighting flaws in the Bar system that require lawyers to self-report behavior like this.

Amber has since reported that her ex is threatening to sue her for the videos that she posted and has reported her to the Department of Children and Family Services. Nearly 7 thousand supporters have banded together to affirm and encourage her during ongoing relations with her ex.

Amber’s account is opening an important conversation about domestic violence and creating a support system for people that have or are experiencing it. She’s encouraging her followers to look for signs of abuse and seek help if they believe they are being abused. The virality of her account simply speaks to the larger issues of domestic violence and finally gives a platform and support group to anyone who may be experiencing it.

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, or if you believe someone you know is being abused, contact The National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-SAFE or spoken with online via the hotline’s website, or text “START” to 88788.