Rock Singer Beth Blade Details Horrific Sexual Assault Experience as She Braces for Abuser's Prison Release

By Daniel S. Levine

Beth Blade, the lead singer for the U.K. band Beth Blade and the Beautiful Disasters, opened up about her experience as a survivor of domestic abuse in graphic detail ahead of her abuser's release. Vincent Grieve was sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to rape and assault in December 2018 but is about to be released on license, which is similar to being released on probation in the U.S. Blade, 32, says she was sexually assaulted and abused multiple times by Grieve during a 24-hour period in August 2018.

Blade, born Beth McDonald, told Sky News she was punched, stamped on, strangled, and threatened with a saw by Grieve, her then-partner. When he finally fell asleep, Blade escaped their home, wearing only her socks. In December 2018, Grieve pleaded guilty to rape and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. After four years in prison, he is being released on license. Although there is an indefinite restraining order, Blade called it "just a piece of paper" and is concerned that her status as a touring musician means Grieve will know where she is.

The musician chose to speak out now, as her band prepares to promote their new album because she hopes to be an inspiration for those in similar situations. "If it can help one person, then it's worth feeling scared every time you talk," she said. "And as time goes on, it gets less and less."

She hopes others realize they are not alone. "And that it's okay to go through these terrible things and that they've got someone – they might not even have met me – but they've got somebody who understands and is in their corner," Blade told Sky News. "And it might just make them feel brave enough to not have to suffer anymore."

Blade and Grieve met as teenagers and resumed their relationship in February 2018. He "love-bombed" her and she decided to move back to Blackburn, even though her band was based in Cardiff, to move in with Grieve. The abuse began when Grieve tried to control her working schedule and how she looked, Blade said. She also lost contact with friends. The abuse turned violent when he hit her multiple times in a car after he saw her hug a promoter. She covered up the bruises and gave him another chance.

"I just kind of gave up on myself... my confidence was non-existent. I had no self-belief whatsoever and the only thing that kept me going at all was the band and the music, that was it. I had to do gigs because I had committed to them. I had to do the album because I'd paid for it. And in reality, it's the thing that kept me alive. Because if that hadn't been there, I am absolutely 100% certain that I would have tried to kill myself or eventually he would have killed me." Blade said she was too embarrassed to bring up the abuse to her friends and family.

The abuse that ultimately led to Grieve's arrest came a few days after Grieve threw a glass at her in a pub. He was frustrated that he could not go with the band on a Kiss Kruise cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. During the incident, another man Blade did not know retaliated because the glass hit him instead of the singer. Grieve demanded Blade tell her the man's name.

Grieve, who had been drinking, punched Blade and tried to strangle her, Blade said. He also threatened her with an electric saw. Blade tried to escape, but the door was locked and he stopped her. He picked her up and she tried to remain conscious during the assault. He raped her before falling asleep. Blade escaped, and a woman helped her call the police and get in a taxi to the hospital. She suffered a skull fracture, bruising, and other wounds.

"I believe he's a danger," Blade told Sky News. "What he did, and it comes down to the legal terms, but he tried to kill me. To me, that's attempted murder. And the prison sentence does not fit the crime at all. It's going to affect me for the rest of my life. When he's out of prison, I have to worry about him, revenge, attacking me in some way... but I've chosen to live my life in spite of that." Blade hopes to start a music therapy program for domestic abuse victims and wants to see the government do more to support them. She also hopes there will be stricter sentences for abusers.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson offered sympathies to Blade and said the government is increasing funding for victim services to £440 million over three years. "Sentencing is a matter for independent judges but offenders released on license face strict license conditions including exclusion zones and monitoring tags, and new laws will see the most serious offenders spend longer behind bars," the spokesperson said.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.

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