Jersey Shore's Jennifer "JWoww" Farley has posted a powerful note on her website alleging manipulation and physical abuse at the hands of her husband, Roger Mathews.
Farley filed for divorced from her husband of three years, with whom she shares two children (son Greyson, 2, and daughter Meilani Alexandra, 4), in September 2018. That December, she obtained a restraining order against the 43-year-old for the safety of her children, but declined to go into more detail. It wasn't until late Wednesday night that People discovered a lengthy statement on her website addressing her grievances.
“I wanted to handle this out of the spotlight because our silence is their greater good. Even when you tried to disgrace my name, make false accusations and even point-blank lie… I still remained silent as challenging as it was… why? Because, greater good," she wrote in the note addressed to Mathews. “I can no longer sit idly by while you mistreat and malign me in such an egregious manner."
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Farley cites a number of alleged instances of Mathews mistreating the children, including him giving pizza to Greyson, who is allergic to gluten and dairy, and not answering the door for his therapist (Greyson is diagnosed with Autism). She also accuses Mathews of using his social media platform to manipulate public perception of her.
The accusations get more severe as Farley says Mathews teamed up with her college ex, who was arrested and jailed for physically abusing her, after becoming abusive himself.
“When your own acts of domestic violence against me were questioned, you chose to reach out to this unspeakable person in order to intimidate me,” she wrote.
Farley also included footage of what appears to be Mathews pushing her to the ground in their kitchen.
On Instagram, Mathews has been vocal in his defense, denying some of the accusations.
“My wife, earlier tonight, we had a disagreement because she’s leaving again tomorrow for work and promised my daughter that she would be hanging out with her all day, whereas my daughter has the flu. So I took umbrage to it, and a little bit of a disagreement I would say, ensued. She gets so emotional and irrational in her anger this is the level she brings it too,” Mathews told the camera in a video posted to his account. “I’m not allowed to be there for my children anymore because somebody else is so hate-filled that they would do that to the father of their children, to a great father to their children.”
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Before Farley's statement, friend and co-star Snooki came to her defense.
“Obviously, I’ve been knowing things. I know everything about Jenni, because we’re best friends. We talk every day, so I’ve been in the loop about what’s going on,” she told Us Weekly earlier this month. “So, when Roger decided to put it public, that’s when I kind of said my piece, because if you’re going to put videos on the internet about things that aren’t true, I’m going to say that it’s not true.”
Farley ended her note with resources for any readers who may be in a similar circumstance, and an important message.
“So many of you may be understandably afraid to come forward, and have been stuck in abusive relationships for far too long just as I have been," she said. "If anyone is feeling down, broken, hurt or lost, please know that it is not your fault!”
A representative for Farley did not immediately return Refinery29's request for comment.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or TTY 1-800-787-3224 for confidential support.