'My abusive boyfriend was about to murder me, just like in Until I Kill You - I had to do something'
The new ITV drama Until I Kill You has captivated audiences with the harrowing tale of Delia Balmer, a survivor of a near-fatal attack by her ex-partner and murderer, John Sweeney. With the plot having unfolded over tense evenings of viewing this week, fans of the show aired their thoughts on the four-part series, with some detailing their own distressing experiences.
The series, based on Delia's own book Living With A Serial Killer, unfolds as Delia, a Canadian agency nurse residing in London, meets carpenter Sweeney at a local pub and embarks on a relationship with him in 1991. However, as their love story evolves, Sweeney reveals a sinister side that leads to a series of assaults on Delia, including one where he confesses to murdering his previous girlfriend in Amsterdam and disposing of her body in a canal.
In response to the series, one viewer asked on a Digital Spy forum: "I was and am more concerned with the story of why she stuck with him until she nearly died." To which alone questioned: "Have you somehow missed all the news and debate over recent years about abusive relationships and how coercive control works?
"Sorry if that sounds a little abrupt but as a victim of this many years ago I find your comment triggering, especially as the programme (which I'm finding excellent) is causing me to reflect anew about my experiences, particularly about the negative response of certain family members' towards me for staying in the relationship. Along the lines of 'Well you must've liked it or you wouldn't have stayed'."
Another also shared their thoughts and replied: "I agree, people who haven't had experience of that kind of relationship don't realise how difficult it is to get away from them. Mine was 40+ years ago, but I still remember it all too well unfortunately."
This led to another sharing their own harrowing experience, as they revealed how they nearly died at the hands of their ex-partner. They wrote: "Yes, the impact never disappears. 50 years ago in my case but it has coloured everything about my life and relationships ever since. I made a decision at one point that if, in a year's time, I was still trapped in the relationship I would kill myself.
"One day I woke up and the paradox hit me full on - either he would kill me if I tried to get away or I would kill myself so either way I was going to die. I'm incredibly proud of myself now that I chose the getting out path to death. Obviously I managed to survive and I've managed to build a fruitful and in many ways a good life, but the deep scars are still there."
Catch up on ITV's Until I Kill You on ITVX
