Brittany Cartwright is speaking out for the first time since being granted a temporary restraining order against estranged husband Jax Taylor.
“Thanks [to fans] for the support,” Cartwright, 37, told TMZ while out in Los Angeles on Saturday, August 29.
She offered an update about her condition, assuring fans, “I’m OK!”
The Bravo reality star declined to comment to the outlet on the specifics of her temporary order of protection against Taylor, 47.
Us reported on Thursday, August 27, that a Los Angeles judge granted Cartwright’s request for a restraining order, thereby requiring Taylor to stay 100 yards away from his estranged wife. Cartwright’s request to gain sole custody of their 5-year-old son, Cruz, was denied pending a court hearing.
In her request for protection, Cartwright accused Taylor of exhibiting “coercive control, financial abuse, emotional and psychological abuse, gaslighting and even physical violence perpetrated” throughout their relationship. (Cartwright and Taylor were married from 2019 to 2024.)
Cartwright claimed that Taylor was physically violent during their marriage and allegedly even once threatened to “gut [her] like a fish.”
The Vanderpump Rules alum also alleged that Cruz’s nanny and future school administrators witnessed Taylor acting “aggressive and hostile” toward her during a school orientation on August 10. She suggested that Taylor “has a tendency of not being able to control his anger and emotions.”
“Although Jax and I have now been separated for more than two years, his pattern of committing acts of domestic violence against me has not stopped,” Cartwright wrote in Thursday’s filing. “During our relationship, his abuse included threats of physical violence, actual physical aggression, destruction of my property, degrading and humiliating verbal abuse, controlling behavior, invasion of my privacy and financial abuse.”
Cartwright continued, “As of the date of separation, the manner in which he abuses me has changed, but the pattern of abuse has continued. He now uses our required communications concerning Cruz to harass and threaten me, he makes threats of public humiliation on social media and he continuously confronts me during custody-related interactions as additional means of intimidating, harassing, and disturbing my peace.”
Taylor — who is now dating Cartwright’s former publicist Lori Krebs — responded to Cartwright’s allegations in a statement to Us on Friday, August 28.
“I made a lot of mistakes and behaved in ways during that period of my life that I’m truly ashamed of and regret and take full responsibility for,” Taylor told Us. “The person I was in 2024, during the darkest time of my life and at the height of my addiction, is not the person I am today.”
He went on to say, “I got help, went to treatment, and today I’m 1 year and 9 months sober. I’ve remained committed to treatment and therapy, working on myself and changing my life.” (Taylor checked himself into a 90-day treatment program in 2024.)
Taylor maintained that “there are allegations being made” in his estranged wife’s court petition that he “strongly dispute[s].”
“The full story, context and evidence will be addressed where it belongs — in court. I will respect the court’s orders and the legal process,” he said. “My focus continues to be my sobriety, working on my mental health, being the best father I can be to Cruz and moving forward in a healthy and responsible way.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
