I don’t know what to do.

My partner and I are 25 years old. We live together with our two young children in Australia, where prices of everything are high at the moment (groceries, housing, fuel/gas, etc).

We’ve been together 7yrs, and lately, I’ve realised that I don’t love him anymore. In fact, I don’t think I have for a while.

He calls me names in front of the kids (bitch/c**t/slut being the main ones) - sometimes it’s playful (we’re Australian…), but sometimes I feel like it’s really not. He never wants to kiss or cuddle, or even hold hands. Sex is barely a thing. But he likes to comment about wanting to see my family members’ breasts and how I should ask for photos for him to see. Other times, he’s “joked” about having sex with my family members.

His Xbox is his life - he’s turned down sex and blowjobs because he’s playing Xbox with my sister; and the kids have even gone without breakfast because he’s too busy playing it. He wants me out of the house every night so he can play xbox. He even threw a childish tantrum when I bought a desk for my University course study and told him he couldn’t have the Xbox there. “Where will I game?” He asked. Apparently my dream of being a Paediatrician isn’t that important - I can use the dining room table and watch the kids while I study.

I’ve told him I’ve always wanted a relationship like in the movies. We had that!! But he seems to think no-one is like that, or even comes close. He never wants to listen to my struggles. He gets angry with me when I try to mention it.

He also would much rather spend time with the boys at work than at home with me and the kids. His schedule is 6am-4pm, but he stays back every day until 5-9pm, drinking with the boys at work. Then he gets home and it’s straight to the phone to watch tik tok or go on the Xbox.

I want a MAN, not a boy. But I can’t seem to leave. I have no friends to go stay with, my parents have no room for me, there’s no single mother places around here, and I found out all I would make off being a single Mum is $1000 a fortnight…my rent is $500 a week, food is $300 a week, and fuel/gas is $90 a week. What about other living expenses?! Clothes for the kids, electricity, phone, Uni, school…I just can’t afford it! I’m so unhappy!