One night, Sarah reached her breaking point. John had come home from work late and in a particularly bad mood. He had been distant for days, and Sarah knew that something was wrong. But when he walked through the door, his eyes were wild with rage, and she knew that she was in for another beating.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, his voice trembling with fury.

Sarah took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. "I was at a support group for survivors...