Police in Ireland are investigating claims made by a young Irish woman with a black eye who has posted a self-made video on her Facebook page.
In the video, Emma Murphy, a 26-year-old mother of two children who lives in Dublin, alleges that she was punched by her partner after confronting him over an affair with another woman.
Originally posted on Monday, the video has since gone viral after being reposted by other people on YouTube, and carried on other media outlets in Ireland (here on the Irish Independent website) and also on the Daily Mail site.
But the allegations have been disputed by Murphy’s partner, Francis Usanga, who is quoted in today’s Irish edition of the Sun as denying that he punched her.
“I did push her,” he told the newspaper. “I didn’t punch her.” Usanga, a gym-owner aged 28 who once appeared on an Irish television dating show, contends that her bruised eye may have been caused by the subsequent fall [from his push].
In the video, during which Murphy talks tearfully to camera while one of her children plays behind her, she says
“I’m in a relationship with a guy I thought was the love of my life. He was the love of my life. Loved him with all my heart.
We’ve had ups and downs. I cherished the ups. I won’t miss the downs. Unfortunately last year I found out he cheated on me. He denied it. She contacted me and told me she was pregnant...
You think you know somebody. It was such a hard time for me, I loved him so much I gave him another chance and took him back. And he did it again.’
And when I confronted him, he denied it — of course. And when I threw away his phone he punched me in the face.”
Murphy has been widely praised for her bravery in speaking out, especially by campaigners against domestic violence. But there has also been some criticism on radio phone-ins by callers who believe Usanga has been unfairly subjected to “trial by media.”
The Irish police have confirmed that they have launched an investigation.
