The first couple of occasions I shielded my face and body but eventually he overpowered me, and he was able to beat me to a pulp.

I’m sure the neighbours could hear everything as he pulled my hair and smashed my face against the wall. I didn’t know what to do. I just cried like a small child and screamed back at him.

The next day I phoned in sick from work and spent the day either sweeping up the mess Sean had made or crying as or when my feelings overwhelmed me.

Sean came home with a big bouquet of flowers thinking it would make me forget the hurt and pain he had caused but it wasn’t going to be the first time that he laid his hands on me.

Several days passed and