Chantelle’s Story
My personal journey through mental, emotional, and physical abuse began in 1999, one week before the big day. We shall call him J. We had a fight and he threw me against a wall and put his hands around my neck (never saw that coming). Soon after the wedding, we were pregnant. Life went on without any other problems until I had baby C. You see I already had a son that was handicapped and J seemed to be the perfect father. Baby C came along and J acted like I was a burden because I needed his help caring for two children. Years later the mind games began. I could spend only a certain amount on groceries, gas for my vehicle, and paying the bills. He watched the bank account like a hawk. He watched the phone records. He took my friends from me. He was jealous when I tried to go back to school. He didn’t want me to be able to care for myself. It was either him or school and I knew I could not survive without him. Or so I thought. In 2005, J was in an accident and cou...