Abuse is abuse no matter what kind it is...I’m going to need a lot of support in the coming months as I file for divorce from a verbally and sometime physically abusive spouse. We’ve been together for over 22 years. I should have seen the signs before we got married but I was dumb and naive. My spouse has never physically punched me but has left bruises on me when he’s grabbed my arm or as he likes to call it - “frogged” my leg. I’ve sat through years of being degraded and put down.

I have 3 very wonderful kids that I love and my youngest is now starting to become victim to his attacks and I cannot stand to watch it anymore. My oldest is starting to become more and more like my spouse and I’m afraid that the pattern has been set. I need my kids to see how a woman and mother should be treated - with love and respect.

My spouse has become a very heavy drinker ( at least 6 16 oz beers if not more a day, says he needs it to be able to fall a sleep at night, sometimes it can be up to 18 of them in a day).

I’m not a 100% perfect spouse by any means- but I don’t deserve to be treated like crap either. It’s taken the last 4-5 years to gain the confidence I needed to be able to file for divorce and realize I will be ok and I have a lot of life to live and I have the right to be happy.