Mum of five publishes book after escaping a turbulent relationship

A mum of five who was subjected to repeated domestic abuse has published her own book which recounts her personal experience of how she found the courage to leave her turbulent relationship and embark on a new life here in Wales.

The book, titled I Miss Being Mrs, was self-published in June 2020. The memoir aims to provide hope and help for other domestic abuse victims navigating life after mistreatment.

In 2011, Abigail found herself with her five young children, all under the age of 10 and a husband who had turned to alcohol and started becoming aggressive towards her.

After making multiple attempts to address his behaviour failed, in 2015 Abigail made the difficult decision that the only solution was to move away. Despite being cut off financially and having very little savings, Abigail knew she could apply for social housing, so applied and was assigned a home here in Wales.

Moving

Abigail said “Moving was the best thing I have ever done. For the first time in four years, I felt a huge sense of relief.

She said “Over the past ten years I have rebuilt my life here in Wales, and I am proud of what I have achieved. It hasn’t been easy bringing up the children on my own, but I know I have given them a better, more positive and happier life by escaping the turbulence of the violent outbursts”.

Key to her recovery from her traumatic experiences was having access to a space away from her abusive husband.

The safety of her own home allowed her to not only raise her children in a secure and supportive environment but also put pen to paper and write about her experiences. Using diary entries that she kept throughout her time with her husband, Abigail wrote her book, I Miss Being Mrs.

Resilience

Sharing her story of resilience and determination gave Abigail a new purpose and ambition in life.
She adds “If by telling my story I can encourage others to seek help who might be experiencing the same situation as me, then that would be a success for me”.

Saturday 8 March marks International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is Accelerate Action with a key focus on promoting economic empowerment. Abigail’s experiences show the importance of financial independence and security, especially when one finds themselves in a relationship or environment that is no longer safe.

Now, Abigail is working as a support officer for Taff Housing, using her lived experience of relocating and starting again to support families fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine.

Taff Housing Chief Executive, Helen White said:“Abigail’s story of resilience, strength and courage is incredibly inspiring. I’ve no doubt by sharing this experience, others suffering domestic abuse may feel empowered to take that difficult first step to access the help and support they need. Abigail, and her children are proof that there is a way forward. We feel very privileged to have Abigail as part of our team here at Taff.”

Wales based Taff Housing owns and manages over 1600 homes across Cardiff, providing 4000 people with somewhere to call home. The housing association also deliver a range of specialist support, including young people and family supported accommodation, community based floating support and specialist community relocation schemes.

To protect the author and her experience, I Miss Being Mrs, has been published under a pseudonym.

For more information visit www.taffhousing.co.uk