Lara Norris CEO of the family charity Home- Start Herts talks here about her life in the first of our domestic abuse stories. 

As a young married mother Lara endured 4 years of sustained abuse from her partner but has gone on to live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life that should inspire us all.

When I was six, my parents separated and my mother and stepfather moved 130 miles away from my dad.  My stepfather had anger issues, although he never hit or touched me or my mother, instead he would shout and swear at us.  To anyone who met him, he was charming. 

I was married for about 3 and a half years, but it seemed like an eternity. I’d always been very independent, but my husband slowly started making decisions for me. He led me to believe that everyone I knew thought I was flaky, annoying, mentally unstable and a general burden.