Jane left her abusive relationship of twenty years three years ago after her eldest daughter reported to her school that she had witnessed abuse towards her mother. The support offered to Jane from different agencies (including Social Services, the Police, her children's school and a local Domestic Violence and Abuse Agency) helped her to leave the relationship and to move on.

Jessica knew something was wrong in her marriage but it was only when a friend recommended the Freedom Programme that she realised that her husband was controlling and abusive and it wasn't up to her to keep trying to hold the marriage together'. With the help of a friend she left, with only a plastic bag'.

Kate experienced financial, physical, verbal, sexual and emotional-psychological abuse during her eight year relationship, which ended two years ago. She is now suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, is engaged in on-going child contact issues and is yet to feel free from the abusive relationship.