I live in washington state.
My husband has physically and mentally abused me for the last two years of our marriage. Although our family and friends know about the abuse I have never brought charges against him because I did not want to sabotage my marriage and pay his legal fees to fight a domestic violence charge. I have also never been hurt to the point where I needed to seek medical attention. The abuse is mostly cohersive, a means of controlling me. (Choking if I don't perform a task or come when I am called, pinning me down if I refuse to listen to his verbal abuse, pushing me down if I seem to be defying him.) Currently my husband is threatening a divorce to try and controll my behavior. He feels a lost of control now because I am finally making just as much money as he is.
He claims that he will use custody of our four month old daughter as a means of making my life "a living hell". He never wanted our daughter and tells me at least once a day how much of a pain in the ass she is and that is why he never wanted kids. I am responsible for 95% of the child care and he will only watch her if there is no other alternative. However, in a divorce he would fight tooth and nail for 50/50 custody.
I want to leave him but I am afraid of losing my daughter half the time. I know he will not provide the love, compassion, and care needed to ensure she grows into a strong and well adjusted individual. Can my husband get custody if we divorce?
My husband has physically and mentally abused me for the last two years of our marriage. Although our family and friends know about the abuse I have never brought charges against him because I did not want to sabotage my marriage and pay his legal fees to fight a domestic violence charge. I have also never been hurt to the point where I needed to seek medical attention. The abuse is mostly cohersive, a means of controlling me. (Choking if I don't perform a task or come when I am called, pinning me down if I refuse to listen to his verbal abuse, pushing me down if I seem to be defying him.) Currently my husband is threatening a divorce to try and controll my behavior. He feels a lost of control now because I am finally making just as much money as he is.
He claims that he will use custody of our four month old daughter as a means of making my life "a living hell". He never wanted our daughter and tells me at least once a day how much of a pain in the ass she is and that is why he never wanted kids. I am responsible for 95% of the child care and he will only watch her if there is no other alternative. However, in a divorce he would fight tooth and nail for 50/50 custody.
I want to leave him but I am afraid of losing my daughter half the time. I know he will not provide the love, compassion, and care needed to ensure she grows into a strong and well adjusted individual. Can my husband get custody if we divorce?