This week on the show, single mum Kimberley shares Part 2 of her story. In the last episode (Ep 263 - Part 1), Kimberley talked about growing up in a single mum household and the relationship she had with her own father, the night she met her husband, and how (what she thought was going to be) a one night stand turned into a very toxic and abusive. She shared the story of the early days of their relationship, up until the birth of her daughter, and the red flags and abusive tendencies that started appearing. In this part, Kimberley's story continues. She talks about how the abusive tendencies started further creeping in, and how she ended up in a situation where walking on eggshells and being on alert at all times were the norm. Her partner started being very nasty to her, saying horrible things to her, mocking her, and gaslighting her - even trying to convince her that she had postnatal depression. He also started drinking a lot more and became more controlling and abusive about their finances. His needs always came first. In this episode, Kimberley shares her experience of what she would later find out was known as the cycle of domestic violence.  After a horrendous experience where her partner bashed her head against the wall whilst she was holding their baby, Kimberley got an AVO out and left him. This would be the first of many attempts she made to leave the relationship. With the support of her sister, she lived the single mum life, sharing the care of their daughter with him, for six months. That was until he wormed his way back in again. Again, he started out on his best behaviour, but it didn't last long. Links mentioned in the episode: Listen to Ep 263 - Kimberley's Story (Part 1) HERE. Jump on the waitlist for Thrive Tribe HERE. Download the E-book – Thirteen single mothers share their struggles, top tips, and their favourite things about being a single mother – HERE. To contact Julia, email: julia@singlemothersurvivalguide.com. Visit us at Single Mother Survival Guide. And join the email list there too. Or connect with Single Mother Survival Guide on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.