00:00I'm Valerie. My prison boyfriend wanted me to get a neck tattoo.
00:03We've been together for seven years,
00:05but in total, he's been in prison five times.
00:08People usually judge my relationship on social media.
00:11Someone says delusion is a real thing.
00:13Wasting your time and money. Be smart.
00:15I'm Valerie's friend.
00:17I did have reservations about the fact that he's a criminal,
00:19in and out of jail.
00:20I just thought, why is this girl getting a tattoo on her neck?
00:23This isn't going to be good. This is not healthy.
00:27Me and Miriam met when we were in secondary school.
00:30We started dating when we were 19, and around six months,
00:33he ended up in prison.
00:35In total, he's been in prison five times.
00:38Three of those times, he's been with me.
00:40He really doesn't know me, that he always ends up going back to prison,
00:43but I feel like whenever he goes back, I just can't abandon him.
00:47So, I'm always there for him.
00:52Miriam got out of prison and he wanted to do something exciting and fun.
00:55So, he thought, let's just get matching tats.
00:57And I was like, yeah, why not?
00:59So, he got king and I got queen, because I'm a queen and he's my king.
01:04When we did it and we posted it, it got loads of people's reactions.
01:08At first, the trolls used to get to me,
01:10and I used to be on the phone to him, like,
01:11oh, they're saying this and they're saying that.
01:13And because of him, I learned to, like,
01:16not pay attention to what they have to say.
01:19Every time I'm out, people just stare at me, but I just don't care.
01:23At first, my family wasn't OK with my relationship with Mo.
01:27They used to tell me, leave him, he's a criminal, he's not good for you.
01:32They obviously want me to find someone better, but I love him.
01:39Surprise!
01:46When Mo came out of prison, December 2022,
01:48I told him if he does go back to prison,
01:52I'm not taking him back.
01:54But then he ended up going back to prison,
01:56and I was three months pregnant, so I couldn't leave him.
02:01And I went through my whole pregnancy and labour by myself.
02:09This is Rila.
02:11She's 11 months old.
02:13Being a single parent sometimes is hard.
02:15You're so cute.
02:17But I'm happy I've got a good support system around me.
02:21My family and his family, they help me a lot.
02:25Hi, guys, come with me to send Mo some clothes while he's in prison.
02:29I decided to share my relationship online
02:32because I never used to really see anyone do it.
02:35I do receive a lot of negative comments.
02:38By the type of company he keeps around,
02:40and just by watching this video,
02:42there's a 99.9% chance he's going back.
02:45He loves the lifestyle.
02:48Someone else said,
02:49OK, but if I love someone, I will never put myself and her in that situation.
02:55If I'm being honest, I do agree with this person.
02:58Someone else said delusion is a real thing.
03:02Maybe I'm a little bit delusional, just a tiny bit.
03:05How are you spending that much money on someone who is a criminal
03:10with no future, still wasting your time and money?
03:12Be smart.
03:14I don't care.
03:16He wouldn't wait for you if it was the other way around.
03:20And it's not me being negative, it's the truth.
03:23To be honest, that person did make a good point.
03:24And I don't think he would wait for me.
03:29He said he would, but I don't know.
03:31I feel like men are different compared to girls.
03:34So I don't actually think he would.
03:38Mo is currently in prison, waiting to be sentenced.
03:41He's looking at six to 12 years.
03:44Me and Mo maintain our relationship through letters, phone calls, visits.
03:49I feel happy and excited whenever I receive a letter from him.
03:52I'm lucky to have you being patient with me and sticking around
03:56and staying down for me when I need it the most.
03:59This is one of the gifts he got me while he was in prison for my birthday.
04:04He said you're tough.
04:06Mo also got me these trainers while he was in prison.
04:10They were like around ÂŁ6.50.
04:13The letters and the things mean more to me than the actual gift.
04:17It's hard on Mo because he's not here.
04:20I see he's missing out being around Sarayla.
04:23Sarayla has been gone to this air dad's since she was two years old.
04:27The prison gave me this book when I went to visit Mo one time for Sarayla.
04:33So in here they kind of help the kids understand why the parent is in prison.
04:37It's really good that they do this.
04:39I don't think prison is a good place to take kids,
04:42but sometimes we just have to do it.
04:44So they know who their dad or mummy is.
04:47Look!
04:50Oh, that's Mo calling now.
04:54Hey babe.
04:57Nothing, just packing some clothes for you.
05:02I just can't wait for you to come home so we can finally get a family.
05:07I know it's been too long.
05:09Sarayla needs you.
05:11I need you.
05:13All right, I love you.
05:15Bye.
05:17Some of my friends weren't sure about our relationship
05:19because obviously he just kept being in and out of prison
05:23and he can't keep himself out.
05:25This is Crim and Dada.
05:26Oh, Dada!
05:28My friend Kanisha is coming over
05:30and I'm interested to see what she got to say about my relationship.
05:33I'm a bit nervous about having this conversation with her.
05:36I'm Kanisha and I'm Badari's friend.
05:39I did have reservations.
05:40The fact that he's a criminal, in and out of jail,
05:42it's not exactly a good life for, obviously, a woman
05:45to be with a partner like that and now Sarayla's in the picture.
05:51Hey!
05:54What did you feel when I first told you about my relationship with Mo?
05:57This isn't going to be good.
05:58This is not healthy.
06:00He's a well-known convict and at first I wasn't happy about it.
06:04I didn't really like Mo to begin with
06:07because he's a criminal.
06:09Every criminal is from love.
06:12Not from you.
06:14Yeah, though, in all seriousness though,
06:15I didn't really like the fact that I think he's going to be
06:18pulling you down and stopping your progress in life.
06:21What do you think about our matching tattoos?
06:22Do you like it?
06:26Obviously, I'm an ink freak, so I love tattoos,
06:29but I just thought, why is this girl getting a tattoo on her neck?
06:32Like, just in such a visible place.
06:35It is different, but when you get older,
06:38it's not going to be a good look.
06:40Mm.
06:41But obviously, it's cute.
06:42What are you going to do if Mo ends up with a 12-year sentence?
06:46I feel like I'm still going to be there for him,
06:48regardless of whether he's taken the files of my kids,
06:50whether we'll be together or not, I'll still be there for him.
06:54Do you think it'll be hard raising Sarayla
06:56without Mo being there for 12 years?
06:58She's going to be a whole 12 years old, you know.
07:01I know. Pretty keen.
07:03It would definitely be hard, but what can I do?
07:07I can't take him out of my presence.
07:08Can I stepdaddy?
07:10I thought.
07:12Do you feel like you're missing out on parts of your life
07:14in this relationship?
07:16We asked her because we want her.
07:20I'm obviously seeing all your TikTok comments,
07:22and I just wanted to know,
07:24how do you deal with all the hate stuff that you get online?
07:29At first, it really used to get to me,
07:31Now, I just don't care.
07:32Oh, that's good. You can't really know what you're doing, you know?
07:35So what do you think about our relationship now?
07:37To be honest, even though Mo's obviously where he is,
07:42and, you know, you're out here doing a really good job
07:45in motherhood, Mo seems to be supporting you
07:47as best as he can do, so I'm quite happy for you guys,
07:51and God willing, he's home before the 12 years,
07:55and it'll be next year, God willing.
07:59Cos I'm tired of doing daddy duties.
08:02Love you.
08:02Love you too, girl.
08:04A couple of things I love the most about Mo is that
08:06he can be a gentleman.
08:09He's a good person.
08:10He's a listener.
08:12He's a provider.
08:14He's just everything I need.
08:17He's like the male version of me,
08:19except the criminal activities,
08:21but me and him are sort of alike,
08:22so that's why I always keep running back to him.
08:26What I have to say to people that judge my relationship?
08:30One second.
08:37Yay!
08:56Yay!
08:57Yay!
08:58Yay!
08:59Yay!
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