‘He expected obedience’: Woman's powerful story about abuse

After feeling trapped within an abuse relationship for almost a decade, this woman from Russia is finally free.

The woman, who remains anonymous, was interviewed for the wildly popular Humans of New York Instagram page, and shared her story with their seven million followers.

She says: “I was completely dependent on him. He was a strong and powerful man and he expected obedience.

“If he called me at 4 AM, and told me to meet him in Moscow, I was expected to go to the train station. He had a very strong energy. It was hard to argue with him.”

The woman goes on to explain that when they first started dating, she felt pressured to obey him, but instead of that easing off over time, it only got worse.

“Eventually he stopped listening to me completely. I became so lonely. When you’re with someone who doesn’t care about your views, and has no desire to understand you, it’s worse than being alone,” she muses.

Despite this, she says she still loved him and convinced herself to stay, until one day she realised that staying would mean losing herself.

That day was two years ago, and she says she’s spent the time since “learning to be alone”.

“I’m realising the things that I like to do. I feel better, I look better, and I’ve been sharing more of myself with others. I feel like I’m finally learning who I am,” she says.

Her story has clearly struck a chord with many, and people have been sharing their own similar experiences in the comments below her post.

“I know someone as brave as you who stepped out with a 3 month girl so that she would no more get suffocated and make sure the little gets a happy independent life too...” one person wrote.

Another said, “100 days alone with self respect is better than 1 day with someone who crushes your self respect. #iknowbecauseilivedit”.

Read her full post here:

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