I’m eighteen years old.
My experience with domestic violence started six years ago.
My father used to beat me up pretty badly over trivial things.
I used to get beaten if I used the bathroom too many times at school,
Or for telling my teacher that my father was being hard on me,
Without going into the details.

It wasn’t just a light beating.
He would slap me across the face 50 or 60 times,
While yelling and cursing me.
When I was twelve years old,
He almost killed me twice over those silly things.

As I grew up, things got even worse.
He did not like the way I dressed for example.
The latest incident was because he found out that I have a male friend.
He beat me for two weeks straight.
He’d slap me across the face every day sixty times at least.
Yes, I used to distract myself by counting them.
He grounded me and took my phone away.

Ever since I was twelve years old,
He’d try to convince me to commit suicide.
He’d tell me that it’ll make things much easier for them and for me.
He’d tell me not to do it by cutting myself or taking pills,
So that no one would be able to save me.
He’d tell me to jump off the balcony.
One time he told me,
“If you’re too scared to commit suicide,
Run away and I won’t come looking for you.”

I’m currently in Thanaweya Amma.
I’m planning to leave the house after I graduate.
I’ll be leaving with a whole lot of issues.