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Several of R. Kelly's Reported Hostages Speak Out

The women have stepped up to tell their side of the story.

As the R&B world and fans alike continue trying to wrap their minds around the disquieting accusations that R. Kelly has been holding several young women against their will in a sex-crazed, abusive “cult,” the 50-year-old has finally spoken his piece on the allegations.

Now, three of the women have come forth to share their respective sides of the story, and according to one of the women's testimonies, things may have just taken on a very confusing twist.

In a press conference held by the parents of 21-year-old Joycelyn Savage, concerns of the allegations were first loudly voiced in front of several reporters.

Both Timothy and Jonjelyn Savage, Joycelyn’s father and mother, spoke publicly of their daughter's conditions, revealing their belief that she is “severely brainwashed.” Jonjelyn explained that Kelly’s former assistant, Sheryl Mack, shared information on one of the homes where the women were allegedly being held hostage, which is also the very house that they held the conference in front of. She continued explaining that she had pictures and details of the residence being set up in the same manner as a hotel. Her greatest fear now is that her daughter has fallen completely under Kelly’s mastermind control and will need rehabilitation.

Elsewhere in the conference, Timothy advances those beliefs, revealing that he believes their daughter is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological disorder suffered by hostage victims that makes them develop emotional bonds and coalitions with their captor.  

Jailyn “Jai” Savage, Joycelyn’s sister, came forth with a message to her sister as well.

“I just want to say, Joycelyn, I love you so much,” she began. “What R. Kelly has done to you — nobody needs to go through what you’ve been through and what [those] other girls [have] been through. I love my sister so much, and I just want to see her how she used to be.”

Seconding her parents' claims, Jai said that when Joycelyn left for college, she noticeably changed for the worse thanks to “this monster R.Kelly,” she added.

“He needs to get what he deserves, for real,” she said. “Like, everybody knows that he is a pedophile, a rapist — everything.”  

Asante McGee also approached the mic and revealed that she had lived with Kelley at one point in a home close by.

“I’ve participated and witnessed a lot of acts that I did not agree [to],” she began in her testimony. “The way he manipulates each and every woman that comes around. I’m blessed to have [strong will], and the things that I’ve witnessed — I have a 17-year-old daughter myself, and I always thought this could be my daughter.”

McGee, who says she has known Kelly for three years, debunks the claims that her and the other women have falsified their claims, and even admits that at one point, she was a fan of his up until she learned of his true colors outside of the public eye. She added that also encountered Joycelyn Savage and other young women whose families have stepped up with claims because she feared for their well-being, causing her to reach out to each family, respectively.

“As far as these girls, I feel like they’ve been in [the cult] for so long, that they will need help,” she said. “Because of the things that he puts in your head and makes you believe everybody’s against you.”

But allow Joycelyn to tell it, there’s nothing to get help for because she’s doing just fine, she said in a video by TMZ. In the nearly two-minute video, she said that she’s caught wind of the allegations and is in a “happy place in her life.” She rejects claims that Kelly has brainwashed her, and said that the accusations have gotten “out of hand.” When asked about other claims, such as her being forced to do things against her will, she denied those allegations as well. But there’s still the concern of her family that exists against her claims that she’s “just fine,” to which she responded that she had no idea where their claims were coming from.

“The last time I spoke to my parents may have been about a good — on and off — for about a good six [or] five months. I haven’t really spoken to them because they’ve been causing problems in my life about saying I’ve been hostage and being held against my will and stuff like that. I’m very heartbroken about what’s going on with this situation because it’s getting to a point where it’s getting too much out of hand.” She added that having to deal with it “being 22 [years old], is just not right.”

However, when the reporter asked if she was in Georgia at the time, she declined to reveal her whereabouts and whether she was in the home with other girls.

Watch the official press conference and Savage’s opposing response to her parents and the media below.  

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