A mum-of-three said she was stuck in an abusive "cycle" for "16 years" due to her ex-partner.
Tracy, 42, whose name has been changed to keep her anonymous, said her partner would "lure her in" using her children. Tracy, who has three children, all in education, said the fact she could not afford to provide for them herself added to her stress - with mounting school uniform costs only adding to the difficulties she faced.
Tracy, who works as a healthcare professional in the North West, told the ECHO: "It was like a cycle, my ex knew that the kids are expensive. He used my kids to lure me in, he would come back home and do stuff for me and them and I would let him in again.
