To begin with, I'm a Hemophiliac, age 28. For five years, I've been in an abusive marriage with my wife. You see, I work an extremely tiring office job as a paralegal. By the time I return home from work, I'm drained...both physically and mentally. At times, her sex was relieving. At others, it was just pain! But who am I to tell her 'no', that I'm too tired, that her sex has gotten violent, when she has either a pin, a pair of scissors, or any sharp object capable of cutting my skin, held at my throa? (even minor cuts can be LETHAL to Hemophiliacs b/c their blood can't clot and keeps on flowing, in case you didn't know) I've gotten to thinking that I'm just her sex toy, because she rarely speaks to me other than when she's in the need or on top of me, crushing me. When she does, she addresses me as her 'slave'.And when I called a rape hotline, I was laughed at! I feel so worthless and feeble, but mostly humiliated. Yet, I can't bring myself to try to get out of the relationship for fear of retaliation . My wife claims that, if I try to leave her, she'll cut me till my blood won't stop flowing, and watch me die...

-- Anonymous, May 04, 2002

Answers

If I were a paralegal, I'd find out what evidence was admissible in my state, collect evidence against my wife, educate myself on the subject, mortgage my house to the hilt, withdraw my money from my bank accounts, pack my suitcases and move out and far away, while I still had a shred of self-confidence.

-- Anonymous, May 19, 2002