Rachel Leviss Admits She Feels 'Happy and Vindicated' but 'Sad and Broken' amid Ex James Kennedy's Domestic Violence Arrest

12/19/2024 07:44 PM

The former 'Vanderpump Rules' star noted that she doesn't want the incident to be "brushed under the rug like the times before"

• Rachel Leviss said she has "experienced so many emotions" in the week since her ex James Kennedy's domestic violence arrest
• The former Vanderpump Rules star noted she doesn't want the incident to be "brushed under the rug like the times before"
• Kennedy was arrested on Dec. 10 on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence

Rachel "Raquel" Leviss is reflecting on her past with James Kennedy after he was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence earlier this month.

The Vanderpump Rules alum, 30, reshared a December 2018 post, in which she called out fans for saying she was "dumb" for staying with Kennedy, on her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Alongside the post, she noted, "I stand by what I wrote here." 

"Being in an abusive relationship is confusing because you believe in the potential of your significant other and can't comprehend how someone who says they love you is intentionally hurting you," she explained without naming Kennedy, 32. "Bad times can be few and far between, it's easy to minimize the abuse and want to believe the person is capable of change."

Back in 2018, Leviss — who was in a relationship with Kennedy at the time — shared, "Tonight's episode was an emotional one for me. Using the word dumb to describe why I choose to stay with James is completely inappropriate." 

Related: Rachel Leviss Called Out James Kennedy's Alleged 'Violent Outbursts' and Verbal Abuse Before Domestic Violence Arrest

"I grew up not knowing I had a learning disability and wasn't diagnosed with ADD until college. Learning was always difficult for me and not passing my ice cream multiplication test was one of the earliest challenges I faced," she continued. "However I am NOT stupid. In fact in college I figured out the way I learned best and worked very hard for my degree graduating with honors. Words like STUPID and DUMB are just as offensive as the word FAT. Some other adjectives that more accurately describe the situation are patience, understanding, empathetic and forgiving. #pumprules"

In her follow up Instagram Stories, the former reality star detailed how she has "experienced so many emotions" in the week since Kennedy's arrest.

"Feeling happy and vindicated and also so sad and broken," she shared. "I don't want this to be brushed under the rug like the times before. So much of my podcast talks about my experience with coercive control and gaining the insight to overcome it."

After noting that "abuse can be heavy to talk about and re-examine," she added, "I want to leave this on a positive note: There is so much to look forward to in the year to come. I am grateful for everyone who extended grace and kind words of encouragement through the tough times and the little victories."

Related: Rachel Leviss Reacts to Ex-Fiancé James Kennedy's Arrest, Says She Endured 'Abuse' by the DJ: 'Sickening'

Leviss' comments come after Kennedy was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence. On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the Burbank Police Department was called to Kennedy's Los Angeles home "regarding an argument between a man and a woman," a police spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE.

"The investigation determined it was a domestic incident, leading to [Kennedy's] arrest," the spokesperson said. "[Kennedy] was booked for misdemeanor domestic violence and later posted bail. Formal charges are pending review by the Burbank City Attorney's office."

According to TMZ, who was first to break the news, citing a law enforcement source, a witness reportedly saw the Vanderpump Rules alum become physical with the unnamed woman, but authorities did not see any injuries when they arrived on the scene. He was released on $20,000 bail, the outlet reported.

Related: James Kennedy Says He's 'Taking Time to Focus on My Sobriety' and 'Determined to Learn' After Domestic Violence Arrest

When the news broke, it was unclear if the unnamed woman was the DJ's girlfriend Ally Lewber, but the pair had been together earlier that night at Kathy Hilton's annual holiday party. Kennedy started dating Lewber in January 2022, six weeks after calling off his engagement from Leviss.

Three days after the arrest, Leviss posted a screenshot of a TMZ story with the headline: "James Kennedy DV [domestic violence] Arrest Was a Misunderstanding!!!! Gf Ally Standing By DJ."

Alongside the screenshot, Leviss shared a link to her April podcast episode, titled "Bad At Love," with the message: "The amount of times I convinced myself that the abuse I endured by James Kennedy Georgiou was a 'misunderstanding' is sickening."

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Leviss' attorneys Mark Geragos and Bryan Freedman also addressed the incident in a statement to PEOPLE at the time and noted that this wasn't the first time that violence allegations were brought against Kennedy.

"We are aware of James Kennedy's recent arrest for domestic violence," Geragos and Freedman said. "This news is, unfortunately, not surprising. Rachel's lawsuit describes, in significant detail, Mr. Kennedy's long history of erratic, violent behavior and substance abuse." 

"Just as troubling, however, is that NBC and Evolution (the Vanderpump Rules production company), who have known about Mr. Kennedy's troubling behavior all along, have been engaged in a multi-year cover-up on his behalf.  They, too, bear responsibility," Garegos and Freedman alleged.

Evolution, Bravo and Vanderpump did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Earlier this week, Kennedy spoke out for the first time following his arrest.

"I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life. I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth and being present for my loved ones," Kennedy wrote on Instagram Story on Dec. 17. "Navigating challenging moments is not easy, but I am determined to learn, grow, and move forward with the incredible support system around me."

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.