it isn’t easy to walk away from an abusive relationship. it’s really fucking hard. so hard that people risk death to stay.

please don’t invalidate domestic abuse victims by making out they can just leave. especially if you don’t know what it’s like.

i didn’t even leave. i tried many times and always went back. in the end, he actually left me. i was so dependent and broken that i actually begged him not to, even though he beat, controlled and abused me. sometimes i still feel like a failure now for not leaving.

and, when people congratulate me for being free, i feel like such an imposter. i didn’t leave. i didn’t escape. it was luck. i’m no stronger than the people who die at the hands of their abuser. every one of them deserved the second chance that i’ve been given.

i have been left with so many fears and issues and so many broken bits of my life to pick up that i’m still struggling almost 4 years on, but i’ll never ever forget how lucky i am.