Good piece, but I'm sorry you had to go through this. It takes strength to get out. My ex called me a fucking bitch in front of my kids, and I let it slide because I knew he was reacting out of fear and the circumstances were unusual. But even so, that is not how you should ever refer to someone you love. And the fact that he did it in front of our kids who were about 6 and 8 at the time should have been a deal-breaker. Needless to say, we're now divorced. I learned to choose myself. It was the only way to live.