I didn’t stay because I was afraid he would hurt me if I left. I stayed because I thought if I could find the right combination of behaviors, then I would be able to make him happy. CN: Domestic violence Looking in the mirror, I dabbed lotion around my eyes and wondered if I could skip […]
I stayed with him for six years because I was convinced I owed it to my parents to make it work. I was convinced that no one else would ever love me. A question I’m often asked is, “Why did you stay with him for so long after everything that happened?” This is one question […]
Many adult children of abusers continue to deal with ongoing abuse long after we have reached the age of maturity. The first time I became aware of adult children being abused by their parents was when I went on my fifth date with Ken, a guy I met when I was in Bible college. I […]
This originally appeared on Lynn Beisner’s blog. Republished here with permission. I completely bought my mother’s idea of me as a bad person and believed that I was fortunate she was willing to correct me. Trigger warning for abuse. I wish I had a kitten for every time in the last week I’ve heard someone criticize […]
This originally appeared on The Manifest-Station. Republished here with permission. Note: This piece contains discussion of domestic abuse, which may upset some readers. Don’t ask me why I stayed. Ask me why I left. Every October I wear a purple ribbon. It represents women who have lost their lives to senseless violence. It represents men […]
