Untitled

[thelifehidden]

DV Court: Failed 2 Children and Mother, but Temporarily Protecting 1 Child

No matter how prepared I believed that I was after having to be in a DV shelter...I still wasn't prepared. I wasn't prepared for mental abuse to be ignored and to be allowed to continue. I didn't expect law enforcement to ignore the stalking of children and me either tonight.

Today, I went to court for the sake of my children and me. I had gotten a temporary injunction granted to us with my detailed account of what had been done to my daughter that night. They only focused on the physical and didn't care about the mental, nor that the other two children had very clearly seen what transpired. Dropping the injunction for two of the children and myself, but keeping the other for the next four months. This prompted him to instantly initiate contact. First, it was only about seeing the children...until he sent a picture taken on Saturday of my oldest on their bicycle in the front yard. The injunction still held at that time for all four of us. Either he took the photo...or he has someone stalking us in the area.

I called the cops looking for help...they didn't care and of course said that they could not do anything despite the texts. They legalized stalking of not just me but of my children as well. That is the scariest thing that I have ever heard, besides being threatened to be shot in the head a few years ago. We will never truly be safe with how this state operates, and that is scary. While I have nowhere else to go besides where I currently am, everything inside me is screaming to run. To get as far away as quickly as I can, but there is nothing that I can do. Not long ago, I had him making it about money, saying that he would give me money if we came to agreeable terms. Agreeable terms to him are enabling him to continue abusing us all and keeping quiet about it. I was shown a video today where he is bragging about how much he is getting in taxes (he claimed them on his taxes) and how happy the money is going to make him. I wish that I had a way to record each of the videos he is posting, but he knows not to post publicly. At the moment, I don't have to force them to see him...and while I partially hope that they don't try to...I am scared of what happens if he decides to push visitation with them when they so desperately don't want to. He doesn't even care about them...he just wants to remain in control.

[thelifehidden]

Trying to hold on to hope...

Donate to Help Marybeth's Family Find a Safe Home, organized by Marybeth Angel

My name is Marybeth, and I am a single parent to three wonderful children: Josh… Marybeth Angel needs your support for Help Marybeth's Famil

With time running out fast, things seem very bleak for us. Places are finally starting to interview and hire, but even now, that would only give me less than a week to get the money to stop us from having to return to the mental abuse. While I know he might temporarily be nice, given that he wants to manipulate us into staying forever. Without being able to afford to rent anything immediately...it forces us back to his house, and that hurts. I don't think I have a third try in me at this point. If anything were to happen again, and any of us spoke up, they would only take my babies from me, saying that I can't protect them.

I tried almost five/six years ago to get us away. Then I only had two of them, had my own place, and a decent career. That time, I made big mistakes because I couldn't cope with everything and had him stalking me. With my children not being with me, having to stay with family while I worked and tried to fix the home...I began drinking and occasionally did coke because it made me focus, as well as being able to work 50-60 hour work weeks. Instead of talking to me or trying to help, my own family had my home condemned and my babies taken from me. I got the call while at work, telling me that I needed to get to the house immediately. When I arrived, code enforcement was there, my electricity was shut off, and DCF was on the way. Never once did I do anything around my kids...and yet, because I needed the little support I had at the time and wouldn't kick them out of my home, my entire world was taken from me. I tried hard not to go back, but I couldn't take not having my babies, and they couldn't come back because I no longer had a home for them.

Now I have done everything right. No friends. No help. No drinking or anything bad. I went to a domestic violence shelter with promises that there was help to discover that there truly isn't. With older children, there is no help with care, so that I can work. Having no vehicle, the only help that I could have is too far away because they don't have a vehicle either. If we are not approved to go to my friend's house before time runs out, we have no choice but to return, and that hurts so much. As of this morning, I am already again planning to emancipate my son to get him out first, since he has dealt with it almost as long as I have. In just three years, I can help him start trying to find a job and help him save to be able to find a place to rent. At 16, I can begin the process of having him declared an adult, from what I have researched.

He's not just going to let us leave again if we have to go back to his house. Even if I start working, he is only going to steal the money that I earn, just as he did before. I would wake in the night to him taking all the money out of my wallet that I needed to pay daycare and for diapers. While I don't want to have to slowly get my kids out that way, it is the only thing I know to do now. Not everyone has a network...not everyone has support. In having to go back, I not only lost everything...I lost everyone, too. Right now, I am trying to not let depression take hold of me, but I can't help but feel that I have failed my babies once again. With only 8 days left starting today and school about to be out for break...I don't know what else to do. In some twisted way, maybe I deserve it somehow, but my babies don't.

If you read this far and want to help us...anything would be appreciated. I hope that you have a wonderful day.

[thelifehidden]

Unsure...

Today I again went out begging. As a very direct person, when I showed up today, I asked very bluntly, "Whose ass do I need to kiss to get thrown in the parking lot?"

I worked there long ago, and they happen to know while I do enjoy fun, enjoy joking...I am also direct and serious as well. When my previous manager came out, I told her straight..."I am out of time, and nothing is wanting to hire the parent schedule. If I fully open my schedule, would that help get me hired? I want to be in the lot since I hear that is what you are needing. Someone who can and will control that parking lot without complaint." As expected, she said that is exactly what I would need to do, and to go in and update my application to open availability. She also warned me that if she is able to convince them to bring me back (they have a new policy of not hiring previous employees) that I will be instantly terminated if I am late or call off, and I have to promise that I am not just going to quit.

While I truly need the day shift due to my children being school age (even despite getting food stamps, which the place claims to work with people who are), the place that watches kids mines ages want almost $200 a week PER CHILD. They also don't do weekends, nor do they do for the hours I would possibly need, unfortunately. But at the moment, what is important is getting the job. Once I am back working, then I could hopefully be able to negotiate working with me a bit, given that I am a single mom and one of my kids is neurodivergent, as well as my youngest never being away from me before. That part alone makes me a bit nervous, but if it gets me a job, then we will have to do what we have to do unless something that would work out better hires me first. Really hoping that the manager will come through for me like she says. I always liked working for her and have high respect for her. Just hoping that my kids' father and his mother don't cost me a job at this point.

[elektra-pop]

If you think access to food should be earned, you're evil.

There's really no other way to say it. It is what it is.

Survival is a fundamental, irrevocable human right.

If you don't believe in the bare minimum, you're a danger to humanity.

[thelifehidden]

Going out tomorrow to "harass businesses," as I like to call it. Currently fighting to make a plan B for my three little people so that they don't have to return to that environment. They don't deserve someone mentally abusing them or potentially hurting them, since that is what led to being in a DV shelter. We haven't gone through ALL of this...to just have to go back into it. Offering a friend every penny that I make in a month from doing paid surveys just to take them in at night time. Won't know if she can until she can ask her other friend, as she is soon about to get a new place and will have to stay there as her new trailer is being put in.

[thelifehidden]

https://gofund.me/87852f17d

Things are rather bleak for us as the shelters are currently full and we will have no other place to go. I sadly don't have anyone and my family can't help either which is hurts. I am doing everything that I can, including staying awake to earn whatever money that I can.

I do paid online surveys, and while I've had some recommend trying adult sites, I am not exactly the most attractive person on the planet, so that won't help either, or I would just so that I can get them a home. Never thought I would be desperate enough to even think of doing something like that. Sadly, don't really have the body for it either, as I am built more like a guy and have a mommy tummy too. It is hard to not get depressed knowing that we might not have any choice but to go back to being abused behind closed doors so that we don't end up on the street.

Going back means being trapped until I could try to pull us in the middle of the night, but I know that he would be having us watched. It escalating to attacking my little girl is what led to us being in a domestic violence shelter...the recording from that night hasn't made any difference either. The scariest part is that he is so manipulative that people believe everything that he says, even when there is proof otherwise. In the recording, he even very clearly states that he was trying to knock her off the top of the bunkbed, and he can be heard breaking down the bathroom door as she shrieked in fear too...but nobody cares about that because they don't see anything wrong with his actions unless it is towards them. Had I not been there, my little girl might not be here today.

I just want my children to be able to live a life that is not filled with abuse and treats being given to cover for it. The day after attacking her...he brought them stuffed animals and bought them chicken tenders from the store. She isn't completely there mentally either, which makes it easier to manipulate her with small acts of kindness. The only protection that she has is her brother, who is only 10, and me. Every time that he is cruel, he buys them candy/ice cream/a meal from somewhere/a toy...and uses those moments to claim that he does no wrong. Still today, he tells people that I called the cops on him...while I wish it had been me who spoke up...it wasn't. In fear that something was going to happen to his younger siblings, my son spoke up in school, fearing what would have happened had it only been them at home, knowing that I was applying for jobs.

I know that times are tough for everyone...but even if you can only share or donate a dollar...it would forever be appreciated. My children will know that people helped in keeping them safe by helping their mother get them a home. I am praying that the job I just interviewed for hires me this week...I even said that I will work from the time they open until they close, doing ANY position that they have, as I desperately need it for my kids. I figure that once hired, I will figure out the issue of someone to watch my little people when the time comes. I don't know what else to do.

[thelifehidden]

https://gofund.me/e64bbac9a

Went to another interview today, and now doing what I can on the computer to earn whatever I can. Time is almost up, and unfortunately, things are not going so great for us. Whoever would have thought that finding a job that will work with the parent schedule would be so hard to do...I lost almost everyone years ago, and those that I do have are sadly unable to help. My little people are enjoying some TV while I am doing what I can. The only hope that I have currently is that something will work out for us soon. I can't give up because they are relying on me to keep them from having to return to being verbally abused or from the potential of ending up living in a tent temporarily. My oldest already told me that if we have to go back to their father that he will run away, as he has been the one who has had to endure it the longest. No child deserves to be called names constantly, manipulated, or treated as less than human...especially not by someone who is supposed to love and support them.

I don't know how GoFundMe works (not sure why it isn't coming up as a clickable link...probably something I am not doing correctly, honestly)...but if you would feel more comfortable donating through something else, I have CashApp, Chime, and PayPal as well.

It is so hard to not give in to depression at the moment, but for them, I am staying awake as long as I can, making every penny possible through online survey sites while continuing to apply to anywhere I can get to. Even if I am only able to put us into a hotel for a month or get a van to temporarily sleep in...anything is better than having nowhere to go, and would give me more time to be able to secure the job I desperately need. The few people that I do have are unable to donate, but they are greatly helping me keep my head up during this time. An old friend from up north sent me what little she could, and when she apologized for not being able to do more, I told her, "Every penny helps us right now, and I would never expect more than someone can do. Thank you so much for doing what you could, and one day I want to repay you." I have known her since I became friends with her daughters in middle school and remained in contact since then. Even just sharing this helps at the moment.

One day, when everything is okay again...I can't wait to be able to help others again. Even now in the shelter I have been trying to help in ways that I can. I found one woman a stroller so that she could get around with her newborn (that personally made me very excited when I came across it), and have been trying to help people keep their head up too. Just taking one day at a time while keeping my little people as happy as possible. Things won't be this hard forever.

[thelifehidden]

In Desperate Need of Help

https://gofund.me/c547c3fb8

My kid is so worried about having to go to another school that he keeps telling people that it might be his last day at school. While we are trying hard to not be forced back into our mentally abusive situation, help is not coming for us, sadly. Housing won't help us. Jobs don't want to hire my availability as a single mother. It is really hard to keep going when it has such an effect on my little people. I only ask that if you can donate anything at all, or even share, that you do so, so that I can get them a home before it is too late. Please help us not have to go back. I have already been looking at places to rent, and as I continue to earn what I can, I have been going to interviews with nothing taking me yet.

I also have CashApp if you don't feel comfortable donating to GoFundMe. Anything helps get us closer to being able to not have to return to the abuse behind closed doors.

$KlownPrincess

[thelifehidden]

Running Out of Time and Scared

Donate to Help a Family Escape Abuse and Find a Home, organized by Marybeth Angel

4 Weeks to find a place to rent, or we become homeless. I have three youn… Marybeth Angel needs your support for Help a Family Escape Abu

Everyone always recommends that people in these situations go to a domestic violence shelter. They make these suggestions without really knowing what that means or how these places operate, and that is the terrifying part. People believe that you go to one and that they help you. The scary reality is that whether you have somewhere to go or not...you only have 4 weeks.

If regular shelters are full, regardless of you being on a waiting list, you are still demanded to leave. They can decide to give you a little longer by a week maybe two. But that is up to their discretion, not what you need. Despite over 50 applications now, the job market is so bad currently that I have yet been able to secure a job. It is getting terrifying with only 13 days left and not knowing what is going to happen. At this point, being hired won't even save us because it will not be enough to rent something immediately. If you can share or donate in any way, I at this point beg that you do before we are out of time. There is no guarantee that there will be an opening for us. Another woman with an even younger child was already made to leave, with there being no availability at any shelters. It is a scary world that we live in.

I just want better lives for my babies and for them to not have to take abuse or listen to their mother being abused. They deserve to be in a happy, safe home where love doesn't have to hurt.

[thelifehidden]

Almost Free

Donate to Support a Mother and Her Children in Crisis, organized by Marybeth Angel

Rent is due on the first, and we would truly appreciate anyone who could do… Marybeth Angel needs your support for Support a Mother and Her

[thelifehidden]

DCF - hoping they actually help this time

To say that I am terrified would be an understatement...But I am trying to remain hopeful. My children spoke up at school because things have been escalating over the past couple of months. Normally, he is just massively emotionally/mentally/financially abusive. At any given moment, he will call all of us morons and tell us to get out of his house. I cannot count the number of times that he has called one of us worthless, useless, crazy, wished that we died, retarded, broken our things, says that one of them belongs in a cage, and that they will never amount to anything in life, or even made threatening comments if anyone tried to help us out of this. The only proof that I could even have is illegal to obtain under the 2-party consent law in Florida...he's abusive, not stupid...so texts or voicemails don't exist as he knows that it could be used as evidence of his cruelty.

The escalation started close to the beginning of the year. It had only been words and screaming...then it became intimidation towering over them speaking harshly. He stood over towering her as she crouched behind my chair and I put my arm out backing up my chair to protect her and he was screaming on the top of his lungs at her as she screamed in fear...he punched the stand above her head as hard as could...then turned and began beating on the small table directly beside me until it collapsed. Then one day, he insulted my child, and having a strong sense of justice, the child called him a bastard back. He went after her, and since it seemed like nothing more than discipline was going to happen, I didn't think to back up my chair. He had only been demanding her tablet and for her to go to the corner. I even told her that she needed to go to the corner. Since she wasn't giving up the tablet, I allowed him to take it from her...but then, after snatching it, he paused a brief moment before smacking her in the upper thigh (facing him) so hard that not only did it leave clear imprints of his fingernails...it was welted for almost 4 days. Sadly, just as anything else usually goes...they are calling it discipline. It is not discipline to hit a small child that hard! Another night, he was being threatening towards her, and even her older brother grabbed her by the arms, pulling her away from their father. The night that scared them the most was when he was screaming that he was going to kill her as he went into the room, shaking the bunkbed so it knocked her against the wall...he then got on top of a chair leaning over the top slightly as he took one of her largest stuffed animals and was hitting her as hard as he could screaming he wished she was never born, she's worthless, and lastly stating that he had hoped that he knocked her off the bed so she cracked her skull open so he doesn't have to deal with her any more. With her size and how close she was to the edge (maybe a foot, foot and a half away), if I had not come running into the room...he wouldn't have stopped until she fell. She was shrieking and crying in fear as with each swing it was knocking her forward.

The saddest part is that they did not care enough to talk to him immediately...he's had an entire week to come up with a story that makes him sound like nothing more than a caring father dealing with a bad kid...and he's tried numerous times to convince me to twist the truth in his favor over the phone. He won't text anything that could be used as proof. He took off, telling all of us that he is not coming back, and yet now he has even come up with a very reasonable excuse of getting to work easier. This past week of him not being here, the children are more relaxed, and so am I. I keep praying that this peace gets to last, as I know once they don't make him leave the house...he is only going to start again. He is the most manipulative person that I have ever met...even convinced an officer that he did nothing when they were called out because the officer knew him from his place of work. My only hope is that this time, now that the kids can speak...they will listen to them saying that they don't feel safe with him here.

I don't desire for him to be arrested...I only desire that they deem him unable to live in the same house as us so that I can begin to help all of us heal. They asked if I wanted mental help...that help sadly wouldn't be help as long as he is still here...it would only be effective if he is gone for good. I don't want to have to worry about him possibly snapping and hurting us anymore. When asked why I didn't report...I told the truth that I don't want to lose my kids, and they don't usually actually help. Last time they were involved I was fighting to be away from all of this and had my kids taken as well as having my home condemned...the only way that I could get them home was to go back into it and just take it. For two months my children had been able to return home...nobody told me, they threatened that if they ever came back out that I would never see my kids again, they wouldn't answer phone calls nor call me back either, and I was calling every day up to 10 times in a day. Even 5 years ago, when he threatened to shoot me if I didn't quit my job...I never said a word. When he pointed a gun at me about a year ago...I sadly told him to "do me the favor so I don't have to be tormented by you anymore," and walked closer so that it was pressed against my head. The trauma caused by DCF all those years ago...forced my silence. Now I can only pray that they help us this time instead of causing more harm. Keeping the family together is NEVER best, when it involves mental abuse to the ENTIRE FAMILY. He even had a DV case with his own mother and myself as well. I just want my babies and I free so that we can be happy.

[thelifehidden]

DCF...make things worse, or help this time

More often than not, things tend to get worse after their involvement...from my own experience, I know this. The trauma of last time kept everyone silent for years...now, in innocence, it came out and much more. When they spoke, they spoke of things that I had not even mentioned, as it was not related to the incident. I was majorly panicking, my mind searching for safety as my heart told me I needed to be honest. It was hard, and as my mind raced, the person asked further what had happened that night. Given that he had taken off that morning...I don't know if they spoke to him or not. So far, they are just talking to everyone right now. When he took off, he said to my oldest and me that he was leaving forever and had packed a bag. Before walking out the door, he kept putting blame on me, asking why I would tell the truth as if the truth is wrong. At this time, I don't know whether he is actually leaving or whether he is cooperating. He did show up this morning, though, so I know that once he does come in, he will likely start with the verbal stuff he does. Don't really know what is going to happen at this point.

[thelifehidden]

To say that I am scared would be an understatement...it is more like terrified than simply scared. In my experience, the system fails and ends up doing a lot more harm than good. Recently, I discovered that someone from DCF has talked to my kids. They have not contacted me yet, but I know it is only a matter of time before they do. In Florida, they are all about keeping the family together, despite there being emotional and verbal abuse towards the mother or even the children, because they call everything "hearsay". I knew the day would come when one of them would speak, and I assured them that I in no way am mad at them for speaking up on something that they know is wrong.

Unless there is physical abuse, though, these cases more often than not go uncared for, leaving the person doing it in the home to continue. Or worse...it escalates to extremes once they leave. If help truly helped people, more people would not be stuck in situations like this. If he were constantly a monster and was that way outside of the home, then things might be different, but that is not the case. Everything is behind closed doors or said quietly enough that others don't hear anything. Then there is the law where you have to have all parties' consent to audio or visual record, even if the case is extreme...you can get in trouble for it. The terrifying part is that they likely would not remove him from the house, as he is the main income earner since making me quit working years ago. It would be better in these situations to remove the party doing the abusive actions and simply help the parent who they feel safe with be able to remain in the home with the kids. Mental/emotional/verbal/financial abuse should be looked at as close as, if not possibly more than physical because physical leaves evidence and the others do not leave solid evidence. When you have nobody but the person who treats you that way and tries to make you the bad person because you react to it...it is impossible.

[thelifehidden]

The 2-party Consent Law for Recording should not count towards abuse

Often, people in abusive situations go unheard, and they are victim-blamed. In many states, it is illegal to record someone without their consent...unfortunately, in the state of Florida, that is the case. When everything you say is called "hearsay," as you try to explain the instances of abuse. If you record it, you will then be the person in trouble instead of the abuser for their actions. The person gets away with it because you are not allowed to record them. That law should not pertain to instances of abuse, be it verbal or physical. You cannot prove mental and verbal abuse without it, and unless the physical abuse is extreme...you cannot prove that either. Children even go unheard, leaving the abuser there for them to have to fear even more because they spoke up.

[thelifehidden]

"The retard is going to get me kicked out."

I fought to not move, and that sentence from his mouth today is one of those reasons. My child is neurodivergent and he cannot stand her, though he love bombs her like crazy because she is easily manipulated. You can be horrible to her...then offer her ice cream, and she will see you as her friend again. As I was hauling things alone once again (moving 60-100 lbs at a time on a dolly), I allowed them to stay in the air conditioning of the new place. He decided to tell one child that they are "a fatass bitch" and numerous times called the other "a retard". When I was bringing the last thing, he began calling me names and insulting them. Saying that she is retarded like me and will never be anything in her life. He then said, "the retard is going to get me kicked out" because she is a vocal stimmer and can be very loud at times, especially when excited. He kept repeating that she is retarded and wouldn't stop. People keep saying I am not trying...but I am trying my best, given my own mental state from another 5 years of mental abuse on almost a daily basis. It destroys your mind and makes everything take extreme effort. I find myself calculating how much longer I have to live if we cannot get out. I already made the decision to emancipate my oldest when he is of age if I am trapped forever. It all feels so hopeless after the cops didn't help, calling it discipline because she is different. All I can think of right now is how desperately I want to be with my mom now, and I only have a little over 12 years left if I end up stuck here until then.

[thelifehidden]

All feels lost...

Last night, as I sat finishing work, he began degrading me, telling me how worthless I am and worse. In my state, you cannot even audio nor video record without the other person's consent, not even to prove abuse. Not even if it is abuse of a child, no matter how bad it is, either. Then the courts expect you to be able to prove mental/emotional abuse when that is the only way to prove it beyond a doubt. They call every word from your mouth "hearsay", when your testimony is the only proof you can legally have. I know that to be true, as I went through it once, and it made me want to end my life as the judge kept saying "that's hearsay" as I described the abuse. It escalating didn't matter either then.

When abuse is labeled as discipline...all hope fades away. Even getting more physical, because there were no injuries...it didn't matter. Because of mental delay and behavioral issues...it was called discipline despite his screams of wanting her dead. Now I am more afraid of what he might do if he finds out where it came from. Already threatens to break everything the person has and disown them if he finds out. It wasn't me, sadly, because he made it so I cannot financially support them fully right now, and can't find a job despite my efforts. Once again, a case of abuse is blamed on the victim, and it is illegal to get physical proof. After that, my only hope is that things get worse enough to where there is physical proof on the body, and they will remove him from the home. Actually, help and possibly help me secure a job and care for them while I work.

In cases of any form of abuse, it should be legal across the globe to obtain that much-needed proof of audio/visual recording of what is done, so things that don't sound as bad as they were can be seen instead of only being told. The LAW traps abuse victims by having that law in place.

[thelifehidden]

Praying it gets worse so they will help...

It is a sad world when someone gets away with abuse because of the object being used. They label it "discipline," leaving the person still there in the home with the victim. No consideration was taken for the escalation, how big the item was, nor the size of the child, and everyone in the house was terrified. Terrified enough that someone spoke, making it an even scarier situation. Now he is trying to figure out who told on him, even got in the kids' faces (they, as well as I, already fear him), acting nice as if it hurt his feelings, asking if they told on him. He very sweetly, in his fake sad voice he does, asked the one he did it to whether they told. They only asked, "Why do you stay with him then?" and of course, it was a male that he knew. Someone who knows him from the outside world, already manipulated by his charm and overly helpfulness to others. That is not who he is behind closed doors. While it is not every day...it is bad enough that we avoid him if he seems like he is in a bad mood.

He kept questioning me, yelling about having to keep the family together, and if anyone else showed up, he would not care anymore and fire through the door. There is also the threat of getting rid of everything the child owns if he finds out one of them told, and he will ignore the child forever. He has always been verbal, often breaking me down to the point of hyperventilating and bawling my eyes out, as well as doing it to them. The other issue being his full financial control, as he made me quit my job long ago, and now nobody is wanting to hire me because I can't have him watch them longer than necessary. He's also isolated me. His questioning the way he did, and the threats, show that he knows that what he does is wrong. Even bragged that he can get away with anything and that he could rape me and get away with it too because he told them of my fetishes...which would make some acts of abuse be seen as nothing more than liking something weird...I only like those things if I feel safe with the person. People tell me to get him to hit me, but he won't, as he prides himself on not hitting women. It would also be my fault if I instigated it, and that would paint me as the wrongdoer. Now that the call happened, I don't know if he will escalate more, but at this point, I am truly hoping it does. Even telling them he wouldn't have stopped until he succeeded, had I not run into the room yelling for him to get away as loud as I could, didn't get him removed.

The victim in today's society gets blamed for the abuse. They get asked, "why do you stay?", "just leave", and "it must not be that bad". People tell them that they are not trying when they have to do a silent leave or risk something bad happening. Nobody considers that the abuser is a master manipulator (everyone outside sees them as this knight in shining armor, making the victim a liar to everyone), nor that they have the ability to do the threats they have made if the person tries to leave. They don't think about the fear instilled by the person having endless weapons, either. While he has not used them, it does not mean that he never will. It is sad that the only way someone is able to get help...is once it is too late. Once again, even with my fear of speaking up, it was not taken seriously. Now I have to pray it gets worse sooner rather than later...or that he angers someone enough at work that he gets hurt. I don't know what to do anymore. I wish that someone would remove him from our lives permanently so we no longer have to walk on eggshells, living in fear of what he might do.