Listening

Lily is 23 years old and has been married for two years. She and her husband, Ryan, have a two-year-old daughter. Ryan hasn’t worked for a long time and never helps with the family expenses. He also speaks to Lily in a hurtful way. During their honeymoon, Ryan warned Lily that if she ever left him, he would fight to take their daughter away. His mother even said she would tell the court that Lily was not a good mother. Lily loves her daughter deeply. The little girl doesn’t even want Ryan to hold her, so Lily believes the child would not be better off with him. But because Lily is living on a small disability income, she is afraid the court may give custody to Ryan. Lily feels trapped and unloved. Should she stay in this unhappy marriage or take the risk of losing her daughter?