Dutch-Moroccan Actor Abbie Chalgoum Reveals Childhood Marred by Domestic Abuse

Abbie Chalgoum experienced a childhood marked by violence. His father was violent on several occasions. He began to live this hell after leaving Marrakech in 1983 for the Netherlands. He often expected outside intervention, such as from neighbors or teachers, but no one came to his rescue. The situation worsened. All the children in the house suffered violence. The girls suffered even more severe restrictions. The persistence of this physical and mental violence ended up destroying Abbie and the other children. This created a sense of uselessness and self-disgust in the young Moroccan. As an adult, he had difficulty expressing his feelings and establishing relationships. He suffered from severe depression and developed an addiction to alcohol.

Abbie’s mother was also a victim of violence. She tried to protect her children until they reached adulthood. "I never knew at the time, but she was also abused. I found out that she had often made sure we weren’t beaten. That’s when you really get to know your mother. She stayed with him all that time, until the youngest was eighteen and left the house. It was only then that she left him," the actor tells the media AD.

Today, Abbie, who lives with his wife and two children in Haarlem, feels invested with a mission, that of raising awareness about domestic violence and supporting victims. To succeed in this mission, he has released "I Stay With You", a book in which he tells his story, and his theatrical version, which he also presents in schools. He also shares his experiences on social media. On the web, he receives both positive and negative reactions.