Scout's Emancipation

[Rita]

Scout, I am afraid of my H. Very afraid. No one understand it because he never hit me.

We never thought they could do any of the things they did. It makes sense that they could do more than what they did so far.

I filed a police report and then another. About the harrassment and gaslighting. I think the police even called him once and let him know that they were on the radar. I just wanted it on record that I had been afraid, especially because mine keeps threatening to move back if I don't come up with more money to pay him his ED, even though ED is not settled. I want to be sure that no judge would let him come back.

My point is -- your fear is real. It might be based on something psychological or it might be a fear of physical violence that could happen. No one knows until it does or doesn't happen. But your fear of his abuse is real, it is there because he has driven you to that fear. And his behavior with S2 is scary to me.

I just want to validate your feelings. I have been there. Even just now, seeing a text from my H, my limbs were shaking like they were full of battery acid, my heart racing. I ask myself why I am so afraid and I don't know. But when I went to the family justice center and told my story, they signed me up for services. They see abuse for what it is and don't question it like we do.