I was married for 13+ years. I had two children with my husband, a 12-year-old girl, and a 10-year old boy.

 

My husband was an alcoholic and the abuse started a couple of years into the marriage. Nonetheless, I stayed. I had kids to think of.

The last time my husband beat me was after I had dropped my kids off at school, around 8 in the morning. There had been a major accident on the highway and so I was stuck in traffic for an hour on the way back.

 

When I got home, I was greeted with a slap in the face.

 

My husband had already started drinking. He started berating me with questions, asking what had taken so long, what I was doing, who I was with. It didn’t matter what I answered.

 

The hits never stopped.

 

He stopped beating me at around 4 pm, and only because he had finally fallen asleep from drinking. I could barely move. Everything hurt. I realized the time and grabbed the car keys, fumbling out the door.

 

When I got to the school my daughter took one look at me and rushed back inside. She came out five minutes later with a teacher who eventually called the cops.

 

The cops took my children and I to a shelter where they ended up getting in contact with BPSOS – Houston. The social worker on my case assured me that she would do whatever was in her power to protect and help me. With her, and this organization, I was granted a divorce, full child custody, and the ability to have my name legally changed on all my documents.

 

My husband was thrown in jail and I was finally able to feel safe again.