For 4 long years he manipulated me into supporting him financially. Out of love, blind trust and stupidity, I allowed him to abuse me. I couldn’t even see it until it was too late.

When I was feeling so broken and lost at the start of MY pandemic, he denied my illness. He accused me of overreacting. He tried to convince me that I wasn’t a risk-taker. Ironically, he demanded that I trust him and tried to convince me that “everything would be fine”. It isn’t. 

When I was feeling suicidal, he refused to lock up my pills.

When I was feeling lonely and isolated, he taunted me with threats of moving out, asking “What are you going to do, kill yourself?”.

When I was feeling betrayed and abandoned, he left me. On his way out the door he declared “If I stay here I’m going to kill myself!”.

After he left, he harassed me remotely. He managed to lock me out of my entire cyber life. Technology is my lifeline in the middle of this global pandemic. I was terrified. It was a loneliness I’d never experienced before. I was on the edge of insanity. 

Now he’s asking for spousal support!

What can I do to protect myself? What can I do to be heard?