How Do I Get Out of an Abusive Relationship

Casey’s Story – Leaving Abuse

What happened that made you decide to leave? My son was diagnosed with Autism, but my ex didn’t believe me. He told everyone that I was lying and just wanted sympathy from other people. He wouldn’t accept my son’s autism, and he treated him very unfairly. My ex would punish my son when he didn’t…
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Jennifer’s Story – Leaving Abuse

What happened that made you decide to leave? The name calling, his constant spending money on drinking, and his being drunk. Amazon.com WidgetsHow did you feel about your abuser and/or your relationship in the days before you left? I was over it. I had enough. I didn’t want to live that way anymore. What three…
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Angela Lee’s Story – Leaving Abuse

Never let on that you’re getting stronger or planning to leave. Plan then escape. There really isn’t any intermediate step. Don’t believe your friends will help you. You are alone. But don’t let that put fear in you, let that motivate you to help yourself, then help others.
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Sheri’s Story of Leaving Abuse

What happened that made you decide to leave? My therapist asked me why I stayed. I said it was because my daughters needed their father (I didn’t know he was abusing them at the time). He told me they’d end up with someone just like him, I told him they wouldn’t, they’d know better. He…
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Sara’s Story – Leaving Abuse

What happened that made you decide to leave? After 5 tumultuous years with Carl I finally ended it. We had a relationship like no other. He was my best friend, my lover, my soulmate. I felt people could never grasp the depth of our connection and the rawness of our love. I never thought I…
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Jim’s Story – Leaving Abuse

What happened that made you decide to leave? Amazon.com WidgetsShe dumped me again. I had no choice. I’m glad she didn’t change her mind again. I stopped talking to her completely because we were still being verbally abusive to each other after the breakup. How did you feel about your abuser and/or your relationship in…
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Tips for After Leaving an Abusive Relationship

Your Safety and Health Leaving an abusive relationship behind will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of your life. I promise. The years since I left my abusive husband prove to me that I am valuable, lovable, courageous, and capable of handling my affairs. It took time to relearn those things that…
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I Left Because I Chose to Leave

I’m struck by how similar our stories about abuse really are. We all immediately recognize facets of our own horrible relationship in someone else’s telling of theirs. But the answers to “How do I get out of an abusive relationship?” don’t seem to have as many commonalities, except for the underlying feeling of… “…When [that…
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I Called My Local Sheriff’s Department (Non-Emergency)

I called the Sheriff’s department and spoke with the person in charge of domestic violence cases. I wanted to find out as much as I could about the process that occurs after calling the police to a domestic disturbance. Knowing what could happen if you call the police can give you the courage to actually…
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I Tried Marriage Counseling

Marriage counseling is designed for couples who have a failure in communication or emotional connection. Abuse is NOT a communication failure, nor is it lacking an emotional connection. Abuse twists up love into an unrecognizable mass that both people mistakenly still call love. Abuse is not love, and abuse does not allow a relationship to…
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