I am a 65-year-old lady. I am a survivor of abuse. My life was in turmoil for 25 years. I think it all started when I was raped in my own home at the age of 20. He went to jail but I ended up pregnant as a result. I could not cope with the baby of a rape. She was put up for adoption.
I was married 3 times. my first husband drank and kept me isolated from family and friends. He kicked me in the ribs, punched me in the face, and he threw me against the wall. I tried to protect my new baby from getting injured. One day he held a gun to my head and threatened to kill me and my baby. I ran and held the two of us in a bathroom as he beat on the door. The police came and he was told to leave for the night. I filed for a restraining order and moved to a new residence.
2nd Husband, I guess you run towards these guys. It was good until I had my second child. I caught him cheating with other women so I left him. That is when the abuse and stalking started. He started verbal abuse of how sorry I was and no account. He ran off with my baby on a visitation. I had to get an attorney, with the support of the police was able to get my child back. He had so much anger towards me. I had a restraining order against him. He broke into my home and tore my house up all accept the kid’s room. He slashed many tires, broke the windshield of my company car. I had to hide my company car in a storage place and take a cab to and from work. He tried to run me down on the street walking across the to my home, set fire to my friends’ business, set fire to my friends’ families home then throwing flyers that I had started this fire. I spent hours with the Fire Marshal. At that time I was asked to leave the county because they were afraid I was going to be hurt. I moved with my kids overnight to a complete state.
3rd husband, he was great for a few years. I think it was more that I had a blind eye to his cheating. He would not show up for a few days then like nothing was wrong. He too was a drinking man and musician. This man was abusive with verbal abuse and his drinking
I put up with the cheating for years until my girls were in their teens. I left him and started seeing a psychologist for help. A few falls and picking myself up again. I now can live with myself and teaching my kids that they did not need to live in the abuse and drinking in their lives.
I have been married now to a loving caring man that cherishes me and that I love to the moon and back. Between the two of us, we have 4 children, 9 grandchildren, and 2 greatgrandchildren. I am A Survivor and so grateful.
