Marriage is an institution based on love, trust and mutual respect. If any one of these attributes is pulled out of this pious relationship, the foundation of relationship gets wobbled. Many a times, men / women, being sensitive gets emotionally attached to their spouse that they cannot differentiate spouse’s behaviour as abusive/protective, they rather tend to follow their heart and keep taking abuse in the name of security of marriage.
Still, Divorce is not an option that one should jump to as a recourse. My suggestion is to try separation for few days upon facing persistent abusive behaviour, to create an environment for recovery and objective thinking. During this time, the couple can take help of marriage counsellors/life coaches/psychologists as well.
Needless to say that if still you or your children are being exploited or victimized or enduring ongoing verbal abuse or emotional distress, it is time to protect your self-dignity and separate physically & permanently from your erring spouse. However, in such scenarios, the mutual respect between the couple gets lost totally when the sufferer decides to part ways. It is a necessary evil when, despite taking measures to resolve issues, the problems still persist. It is hazardous to tolerate an environment where physical, emotional or sexual abuse is recurring. After all, every human being has a right to be in a peaceful, loving & protective environment.
It is worth speaking up and acting against this instead of sleeping over your dignity for long because tolerating it for too long destroys the faith of your children in relationships.
“The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity”
-Jackie Robinson