Actress Amber Dixon Brenner filed a lawsuit last week in California accusing writer and producer Salim Akil of domestic violence and breach of contract.

Akil is the husband and producing partner of Mara Brock Akil, best known for creating and producing shows such as The Game, Being Mary Jane, Black Lightning and most recently OWN’s Love Is ___, a scripted show that documents the Akils’ marriage.

In the lawsuit, Brenner alleges that she and Salim Akil had a “physically and sexually abusive relationship” which began 10 years ago. The Akils have been married since 1999.

In the lawsuit, Brenner alleges numerous graphic occasions of abuse at the hands of Akil, including slapping, strangling and forced oral sex. Brenner claims that Akil once asked her to follow him into the bathroom at a birthday party where he slapped her, forced her to perform oral sex and urinated in her mouth.

The graphic allegations continue from claims of him refusing to stop a painful sexual encounter to forcing her to lick a parking lot wall. The suit also claims Akil threatened to leave her in a desert if she got pregnant and “he proceeded to stick three fingers up her anus and started lecturing her” on a patio in Martha’s Vineyard.

Brenner details in the lawsuit that she did not leave the alleged relationship with Akil right away because she believed Akil loved her and she looked up to him. It reads, “Akil likewise would at times dangle potential acting roles and professional collaborations before Plaintiff. However, what we do know, is that these acts caused significant emotional and physical harm to the Plaintiff and were abusive; i.e., Akil intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or placing Plaintiff in reasonable apprehension of bodily injury.”

Concerning the breach of contract portion of the lawsuit, Brenner claims Akil used a part of a script she wrote in 2015 for what is now known as Love Is ___, the scripted drama that is said to be inspired by the Akils’ relationship. We reported last month that Brenner was suing OWN and the Akils over the idea. At that time, the domestic violence allegations were unknown to the public; this lawsuit was not filed until November.

Brenner is suing for compensatory damages, emotional distress, attorney fees and punitive damages.

Jezebel was the outlet that broke the news of this story and published the lawsuit documents.

You can view the lawsuit below:

Amber Brenner’s lawsuit… by on Scribd

READ MORE:

Woman Claims In Lawsuit That Idea For OWN’s ‘Love Is ___’ Was Stolen

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