I’m breaking my silence. 20 years I was in a DV marriage. I met him in nursing school right after graduating high school and the love affair began. I was instantly swept off my feet and taken by his charm, attention, charismatic ways and words. It in the beginning it felt like it was true love and friendship. I finished nursing school and became a nurse and he was a police officer. It was great until it wasn’t.

I remember the first time he spit on me holding our week old daughter in my arms in the kitchen after an argument and daring me to call the police because he was the police and they would not believe me. It escalated from there to not just verbal and emotional abuse but to taking my children and leaving and not knowing if or when he was coming back. He also got physical several times and punched a hole through the bedroom door. All along I just wanted to help him but I couldn’t and it never changed it was always the same roller coaster ride until the day I caught him cheating. We seperated and 3 weeks later the broke our seperation agreement and kept my child from me. I had to get a court order and be without my child from Halloween until Feb 12th when I got the court order for custody of my child. That was the hardest time in my life. 22 months later, I have a very fulfilled life with awesome friends, I have thrived and I enjoy being a nurse and my time with my son. We are very close. I’m no where near ready to date but I’m living a very peaceful, happy and fulfilled life and it is beautiful once you are free. We remain no contact. Now I know life is on my terms and nothing less than what I want in life and what I deserve. Know you are strong and that is not the life you are supposed to live. There is so much beauty in the freedom of being out of that life.