I have been married for 20 years. I came into the marriage damaged - depressed, low self-esteem, low self-worth. My husband was the one of the only men I dated that actually could tell me he loved me. I had some misgivings and a sense I was settling, but I married him anyway. We have two beautiful children who are now teenagers. Starting almost from the beginning, he started blowing up about the smallest things. He would apologize later, but it usually was just a list of excuses and even how I caused it. He became verbally abusive. He demeaned my intelligence and my ability to think for myself. When he started verbally abusing my daughter at age 12, my anger kicked in and I began to see that I didn't cause his behavior or deserve it. Our relationship drove me to the very brink of suicide several times before I got the help I needed. Learning to love and respect myself led to the inevitable conclusion that divorce was the only answer. He's in denial that he is an abuser - can't take full responsibility. He still thinks there is hope. I am still living at home until we figure out how to split custody of our son and work out finances. He keeps finding reasons to delay. I'm beginning to feel desperate. I just want to move on.

I will pray for your situation. I also was married for 20 years & trying to figure out my divorce. I feel angry because my oldest teen cannot see him for who he really is. He left me for a scam girl and is now with a different woman. Sometimes I feel hopeless & so unloved. There was infidelity & much financial infidelity. I’m older and feel like there is nothing left for me.:(

I just got out of a 12 year abusive relayionship. It kept getting worse in terms of physical and verbal abuse. He kept on treating me badly till he beat me black and blue 2 days before my birthday. I have a child from him and i realize i need to get out before my child believes tbat ppl should be treated this way. The gaslighting and manipulation and his narcissistic ways were to much for him to handle. He was shocked when i called the cops on him for the last incident but am glad i have peace and quiet now after our divorce. I dont and never depended on him financially. Needless to say, i am better off without him. I deserve better.

I just got out of a 12 year abusive relayionship. It kept getting worse in terms of physical and verbal abuse. He kept on treating me badly till he beat me black and blue 2 days before my birthday. I have a child from him and i realize i need to get out before my child believes tbat ppl should be treated this way. The gaslighting and manipulation and his narcissistic ways were to much for meto handle. He was shocked when i called the cops on him for the last incident but am glad i have peace and quiet now after our divorce. I dont and never depended on him financially. Needless to say, i am better off without him. I deserve better. I walked out and never looked back. I feel no regret because i gave him a long time to start behaving better but as I expected, he got worse. I cant believe i say this but i regret not having divorced before.