For four years, Kylie (not her real name) suffered emotional, sexual, financial and social abuse from her ex-husband and now wants other victims to know that walking away was her best decision.
During their four-year marriage, the Hawkesbury resident was not allowed to wear specific clothes, go to the gym or other outings and was forced to stop working.
She had all her finances controlled by her ex-husband and wasn't able to socialise with friends or family without his presence.
Kylie said the relationship was perfect until they tied the knot in 2002.
‘‘He got too comfortable and knew I wouldn't leave so easily,’’ Kylie said.
‘‘It’s a classic example of domination and control. He was an insecure coward that always got his way.’’
After years of abuse, he raped her and she became pregnant with her youngest son.
‘‘He quit his job to watch me day in and day out to make sure I don’t terminate. I didn't want to keep the baby but he made sure I had it, no matter what.’’
Kylie said she found out soon after that he was sexually abusing her eight-year-old daughter and decided it was time to leave.
‘‘It was not easy leaving the relationship because he knew everything about me and could track me down very easily," she said.
"I wish I could have done it before but I was scared for the safety of my children.
‘‘I moved houses three times in 10 months because he kept finding me. It was horrific and sent me completely broke.’’
The mother of two is grateful that she now has spent the last nine years without him and has a message for other women in the same predicament.
‘‘There is life after it, please get help and leave when you can. Don’t suffer, you don’t deserve it.’’
Hawkesbury police have been called out to more than 600 domestic violence related incidents since January 1 this year and on average they respond to five incidents a day.
These include anything from assault, breach of bail or AVO and children at risk.
Latest Hawkesbury crime figures from the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research reveal that domestic violence assaults are up from 295 incidents in 2013 to 322 in 2014.
