Élisabeth Rioux Shared Her Feelings After Her Ex Bryan McCormick Was Sentenced To Prison

This article contains content that may be upsetting to some of our readers.

Business owner and social media influencer Élisabeth Rioux took to Instagram Monday evening to share her feelings following the sentencing of her ex, Bryan McCormick, to a six-month prison term on July 5.

In December, McCormick pleaded guilty to charges of assault, uttering death threats and mischief involving property valued at less than $5,000, all in relation to domestic violence.

In a post to her feed, Rioux said the news has left her feeling "feeling empty, scared," "not proud" and unsure about the future.

"I’ve been feeling the pressure to say something but honestly I have no words, no feelings (or just too many?)," she wrote. "I'd love to be the strong one saying 'wow we made it' but I also feel guilty for not doing enough."

She disclosed that she felt apprehension when the case first went to trial.

"I was so scared [and] felt like stopping there, if it was just for me I probably would have because I can't stop thinking it can go both ways: on the best side, he could go to prison [and] take time to think about everything to then become a better person but on the other side he could also build anger [and] who knows what will come after he's out."

Rioux added that she has "nightmares" about the possibilities.

"I'm not feeling like the 'strong person' people keep [portraying] me as."

She concluded with a request for fans to stop asking her about the situation, saying that despite a desire to help others, she "would really like to choose when" to "think or talk about it."

Persistent questions, she explained, make her page "no longer feel like a safe space."

In addition to a six-month prison term, McCormick will be subject to three years of probation and a psychological follow-up for anger and emotion management, according to Narcity Québec.

Resources, such as SOS domestic violence (1-800-363-9010), are available for anyone who has experienced violence or knows someone in distress.