[Handcuffs. Photo Credit to Pexels]

On May 7th, the Tennessee judicial court sentenced Evan Johnson to 18 months in jail, followed by nearly a year of probation after he pled guilty to charges of DUI, violating probation, and domestic assault.

The victim of the assault is Kayla Malec, a 20-year-old content creator who is active on various platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. 

In early April, Malec released two videos on YouTube titled “he doesn’t love you,” in which she shared her experience about  being in a toxic and abusive relationship with her then-boyfriend.

Her video features recordings documenting the abuse, including Malec’s statement: “I will never be able to forget the scars left. I will never be the same girl I was before this. The same man who will look you in the eyes and say ‘I love you’ & then attempt to kill you is an experience I hope nobody ever has to live.” 

On April 5, Malec followed up with a 9-part series on TikTok addressing the issue, and subsequently reported Johnson's offenses to a Tennessee police department on April 6. 

The next day, Johnson was taken into custody, charged with multiple offenses in his hometown of Sumner County, Tennessee, where he had assaulted Malec in August of 2024.

In Tennessee, the maximum penalty for Class A misdemeanor domestic assault is “11 months and 29 days and a $15,000 fine.” 

Exactly a month following his arrest, Johnson pled guilty and was sentenced to 18 months in prison for DUI and violation of probation. 

For the domestic assault case, Johnson was sentenced to an additional 11 months and 29 days of probation. 

However, many of Malec’s supporters expressed their dissatisfaction with the sentence, believing Johnson’s incarceration was insufficient. 

One supporter commented on a TikTok post that “[Johnson] might not serve the full time, and [the sentencing is] definitely not enough.” 

This comment highlights the public outrage over the perceived leniency of the sentence Johnson received after psychologically and physically abusing Malec for nine and a half months.

Nevertheless, Johnson may be facing more charges and more jail time.

As another commenter on the same post noted, “[Johnson] abused her in multiple states, those are different courts that he has to be charged in.” 

To this point, Malec recently stated on social media that she plans to press further felony charges in the states of California and Hawaii, where Johnson allegedly assaulted her on other occasions. 

Additionally, she emphasized that even though she is safe for a year and a half, she has yet to receive full justice. 

Due to Malec’s vocal advocacy and courage to publicly share her story, her experience has garnered a significant amount of attention online, with many supporters expressing encouragement and connection. 

One supporter commented on her recent TikTok post, “As someone who works at a DV nonprofit, it is tragically rare that survivors achieve justice. Congratulations, Kayla. A win for one survivor is a win for us all.”