'RHOC' Braunwyn Windham-Burke Claims Abuse While Married To Sean Burke

The former Real Housewives of Orange County starBraunwyn Windham-Burke is opening up about the last straw in her marriage to Sean Burke.

The California native says she was freaked out when her ex-husband Burke was so easily about to put her in a position to be financially abused after he “emptied” their joint account. “It’s the reason I did file for divorce,” she admitted to Page Six.

“When you’re still legally married, there’s not a lot to protect you,” she is sorely realizing. Windham-Burke has been a stay-at-home mom to the seven kids she shares with her ex for their entire marriage.

As for income, the one we know of is the income she received as a housewife for a very short time. Besides that, from watching the show, we can assume that she is reliant in Burke. They are still currently living together and sharing the space in their Newport California home but Windham-Burke is openly in a relationship.

“So Sean had emptied out our joint bank accounts unbeknownst to me,” she remembers, glossy-eyed. “Literally, one day I woke up and I had no access to any of my cards or any money. And that was why I filed for divorce.”

The divorce filing happened in October 2022, but Windham-Burke had left her husband long before that and had come out as a lesbian in December 2020. The two were operating on an extended separation but that may not be working anymore.

Their seven children, Bella, 22, Rowan, 20, Jacob, 17, twins Caden and Curren, 9, Koa, 8, and Hazel, 5 are enduring as the former couple hopes to finalize their divorce “soon”.

The former reality star made it clear that she isn’t looking for pity and realizes she is not responsible for her financial well-being. “I had a pretty cushy thing going and now it’s not. My life is hard,” she reflects.

“As of right now, if he doesn’t send me money — because legally he’s not required to — then I can’t buy food or groceries and my parents have been supporting me,” she admits. And when Burke does help out, it’s not like it’s a big deal.

“He sends very little. I have five kids still at home that I’m taking care of and he doesn’t send enough to cover groceries.” Windham-Burke thinks this is another way for her estranged husband to try and control her.

“He’ll be like, ‘If they need food, I’ll go get it.’ Or, ‘If you need this, you can leave and I’ll do it.’ … For 28 years, he was completely in control of everything. That was 100 percent him and I allowed that,” she admits.

“I think once I’m in control of my own finances, I think he’s scared that he’s going to lose me. Not his romantic partner, that he’s done with — but as that person,” realizes Windham-Burke.

“It’s almost like he’d rather have me around asking [for money] — or in some cases, I’ve been begging for money — than not to have me at all.” This weird dynamic also play out in front of the cameras back in 2021 when Windham-Burke was a cast member and filming.

Viewers saw her transitioning from being Sean’s wife to finally having her last baby and not using pregnancy as a crutch to curb her binge drinking anymore. It seems like once the haze cleared she was more aware that this guy was not for her, in fact, no male was for her as she had been denying her attraction to women for decades.

Maybe Windham-Burke will get a little “Friend of” role on RHOC as an openly gay housewife in OC like RHOM Julia Lemigova.