Staying with an Abuser

by Angela
(Cape Town, South Africa)

Im a 39yr old female and was living with an abusive man for 5yrs. I stayed in this relationship because i thought that the man loved me but i was wrong. He was very jealous and his mom always took his part.I had no where else to go, so to stay with him was my best option. I used to work while he would stay home and sleep with different women during the day while i was at work. He would beat me, have sex with me even if i didnt wanted to. He would always remind me that i dont have a place to stay. I ended up looking for accomadation,a nd found out that there are shelters helping women with situations like mine. I started going there, and got a place. I later on joined Sonke Gender Justice and Africa Unite and became a community worker and a peer-educator and is busy trying to tell women that there is help out there they just need to go out and find it.