I Escaped My Abusive Father After Seven Years of Fear

I grew up fearing my father’s anger. A minor mistake could lead to a beating, and he would later expect everyone to behave as if nothing had happened. After my parents divorced, my siblings and I were forced out of our home, and I watched my mother struggle to keep us safe. In 2020, what was meant to be a holiday visit to my father became seven years under his roof. He took our phones during the COVID lockdown, enrolled us in new schools and kept us away from our mother. The verbal abuse, blame and constant fear affected my grades and mental health. After my sisters returned to our mother in 2024, I was left alone with him. When his marriage began to fail, he directed more anger at me. Last month, I decided I could not stay any longer, so I left for my mother’s state with only my charger. My night journey nearly ended in tragedy when the bus I was travelling in crashed after a tyre burst. I was terrified, but I refused to go back. I am now safe with my mother, trying to heal and learning that being his child never meant I had to endure abuse.

Use The App To Win ₦1m

Stories are shared by community members. This article does not represent the official view of NaijaWorld — the author is solely responsible for its content.