Domestic Violence and its long term affects on victims

After nearly twenty years of spousal abuse, it took his death for me to get out of it. I can-not watch movies that have the subject of spousal abuse in it without nightmares. I relive
my own experiences and it preys upon my mind for days. Now, I want all to know , I did not
have anything to do with my husband's death. He died of a massive heart attack at 41 years old, leaving me with 5, 10, and 15 year old children to try to raise and undo the damage I had permitted by not leaving. I took beatings at least weekly, was in a coma for
nearly six weeks, was repeatedly raped, and still stayed. As a child, I was abused and neglected. raped at 3. 12 and 15. Always thinking I was doing something wrong. I was a small, petite, young woman, and my husband was a foot taller than I and outweighed me
by at least a hundred and twenty pounds. If we stay for the kids, that is definitely not the
answer, domestic violence destroys all love and leaves lastings scares on the children and the mother. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU and do what ever it takes to get out
of it.