I don't normally talk about this but I was in an abusive relationship. I was lucky and left while he was serving out a jail sentence. He had not laid his hands on me yet but I know that would have come next. I kept wondering how this could possibly happen to me and for a long time, I was ashamed to admit it, even to the people I trusted most. The thing is, abusers are smart and know what they are doing. It happened so slowly that before I knew it, I was beaten down so bad emotionally that I ended … more