Amen to that.

It takes a long time to get over going through that kind of relationship. I was in a similar boat to you, Lbonifonte, until one day he backhanded me across the room and I thought he was literally going to beat me to death. According to the other people in the room, because I think my adrenaline was so high I blanked out, I broke his jaw and kicked him in the balls before running out.

I didn't trust men for years after that. I couldn't let myself be open to that kind of mental torment, although I knew the signs to look for. It really scars you in your whole perception of the world and makes you feel worthless and better off as worm-food.

Although I think the LW has very poor judgement, she doesn't deserve to be beaten or abused, as I've seen other people deem acceptable elsewhere, she's not going to see the light until that one day when he goes too far. I just hope she gets out soon so the children won't grow up to be abusers or abused by their spouses.