following the other thread about leaving your partner.....

[fattiemumma]

if you were in an abusive relationship, what was it that made you leave? was it the first time....i know very few who have left after the first incident....or if prolonged abuse, what was it that finally gave you the push?

for me it was after 5 years of abuse.
the straw that finally broke the camals back was when dd was 10 weeks old and ds (then 4) came in and saw me crying and asked "whats wrong? did daddy hit you again?"

for a child with asd to be so in tune to what was happening really slapped me in the face. until then i had convinced myself that he was unaware of what was happening. i thought that his asd shielded him to some part of what was going on.
his comment showed me it hadn't.

i looked into my dd's cot and just thought....i dont want her to ask me that question in a few years time. at that point i grabbed the kids and left...with nothing. not even a nappy.

it was struggle and despite a few set back we are now settled and (apart from the fight over access) we are incredibly happy.

oh, fattiemumma, what an awful story; so glad you re settled and happy, well done you!

fattiemumma - hope this isn't patronising. Well done for being so strong and putting family first. It's a bloody shame that more men don't do the same and are too busy trying to be "men".

I'm glad to hear you are settled and you and your children must be so much happier for it.