I have never been treated well.

My father was really cruel,

To the extent that if he couldn’t find something he lost,

He’d beat up the five of us girls.

I had mental health issues,

And I continued to wet myself well into adulthood.

Maybe he was the reason I picked the piece of trash I chose to marry.

To escape my hell,

I put myself in another one.

I wish I had gotten a job after I finished high school.

He wouldn’t have let me, though.

One time, he tried to choke my sister.

I screamed, scared he’d kill her.

He grabbed me by the hair and slapped me so hard I saw flashing lights.

When I got engaged,

He would routinely humiliate me in front of my fiancé.

When you do so in front of him,

He’ll do the same to me when we’re married,

And that’s eventually what happened.

We started fighting from the very first week of marriage.

The way he treated me,

You’d think he was the son of a minister,

And I but a lowly peasant.

He saw the abuse I went through before,

So he decided to treat me the same way.

I mean, when I’d make a mistake,

He’d send his mother, sister, and brother over to beat me up.

In my own apartment!

But I didn't stay quiet.

In a rage, I’d hit them right back.

I don’t know how I did it.

God gave me strength.

I even pressed charges once.

My entire life with him revolved around threats of divorce.

“I don't want you,” he’d say.

“If you don't want me, divorce me,” I’d shoot back.

“If you want a divorce, go get one.”

“Fine,” I said, “I swear to God,

I’ll get a divorce from you.”

And I did.

I accepted him the way he was,

And because of this,

He took out all his insecurities on me.

I gave him all his freedom,

And because I did,

He’d stay out late and spend all our money until we were broke.

During our last fight,

He said, “I sinned by marrying you.

You’re filthier than a dirty bathroom.”

I became depressed,

Slept all the time,

And felt tired.

I got a brain scan,

But no doctor knew how to treat me.

I don’t regret that I left him.

Sometimes I say, “Life is tough without a man.”

But then I backtrack and say, “Well when I had a man, what did he do for me?”

Now I’m definitely carrying a lighter load than before.

I mean, when my kids would ask for money,

I wouldn't have any to give them.

Now, whenever they need something,

I’m able to help out.

There’s nothing worse than an unjust man.

One who hurts you instead of protecting you.

I think I’m better suited to raising my children.

When I speak,

I speak with wisdom and authority.

When I was with him, I felt empty.

Once he even raised a knife to me!

What if he’d killed me or I killed him?!

One of us would die and the other would go to jail,

And the kids would be lost.

No one wants to leave their home for no reason.