A YOUNG mother, abused from the age of 16, has described the moment she had to flee her home in the middle of the night to escape her violent partner.
The now 23-year-old was pregnant with her second son when her ex-partner threw half a paving stone through her bedroom window, hitting her leg.
For years previously, she was beaten up. She told the Mirror: "He kept attacking me in front of my son. He beat me up as I got off the bus. He just didn't care where we were."
In February a court banned him from seeing her but it only made things worse. The day he got served the injunction, I had half a paving slab thrown through the bedroom window.
"That was the day I had to go to the refuge."
While there she gave birth to her second son. She also had to go through a trial, in which the jury cleared her ex-partner.
She said: "Even though we had the evidence, he was found not guilty. It was like he was untouchable."
The refuge provided a safe haven for her.
"It's been really difficult more than anything. Having to up and leave my family and friends.
"I was on my own with two kids in the middle of nowhere.
"But the staff have been absolutely brilliant, they are amazing. They give you a chance to start everything again."
Having left the refuge a month ago, she said she was "over the moon" to have her own home, but added: "I'm just getting used to sleeping in the dark again."
