Dear Queenie,
I moved in with my boyfriend a few months ago and he sure has changed since then. He used to be so sweet, but now he is jealous and mean. I have to tell him everywhere I am going and I can’t talk to my friends without him wanting to know who I’m talking to and what we were talking about, and a couple of times he hit me because he thought I was keeping a secret from him.
He was sorry afterward and said he would never do it again, but he is still jealous and doesn’t like me to talk to my friends. He doesn’t abuse me or anything that bad, but he’s getting very hard to live with.
Queenie, do you think I should stay with him?—Feeling smothered
Dear Feeling smothered,
I have news for you dear: You are being abused, both emotionally and occasionally physically, and the probabilities are that it will only get worse.
Try to get your boyfriend to go with you for counselling. If he really loves you, he will agree, for your sake. If he doesn’t, be forewarned and start making preparations to escape his clutches. Call Safe Haven and/or the Women’s Desk for help if you need it.
