One of the Lucky Ones

When I met my ex, I had no way of knowing what the next 10 years would bring. All I saw was a charming man offering me the opportunity to achieve the dream of marriage and family that I so desperately wanted. But what started as an occasional fury-fueled argument soon became a situation where verbal and/or physical abuse were a daily occurrence. I swore I would leave a hundred times, but it wasn’t until he threatened to burn our house down – with our two small children inside – that I finally took the steps to achieve freedom for me and my family. I thought leaving would be the hard part, but then I had to navigate the unforgiving labyrinth of the criminal justice system, where the victim is not always treated as one.

My story is not over yet; I am still working through the final stages of things with my ex, and my children and I are still dealing with the aftermath. I have learned that the justice system does not always bring justice to the victim, but I am still standing, stronger than before.