I did have a few wobbles when it came time for us to leave and move into our own house, but I'm now feeling positive for the future, and I know that Llamau are always just a phone call away.

My ex-partner started to emotionally abuse me not long after I gave birth to my twin sons. He moved me to his local area, which he used as a way to control me and keep an eye on what I was doing. He told me I wasn't allowed to leave the house without him - I wasn't allowed to drive or go to work and he controlled all of our finances. It wasn't long before I was completely isolated.

He was incredibly jealous and controlling, criticising my every move. I never knew when he was going to lose his temper or what would happen when he did. He'd throw all my belongings out, or make me sleep on a bed with no mattress. He was determined to break me down.

Things had gotten so bad that I hardly remember the last two years we were together. When I called Llamau, I was at absolute breaking point. A support worker met me the next day in a nearby car park. All I had with me was the boys, £20 and a suitcase.

Moving into refuge is a huge mix of emotions. On the one hand, I felt relieved. On the other hand, I was terrified. I had no idea what to expect in refuge, or where we were going to go from here. My boys were only 6 years old at the time. I was worried for them and how they would cope.

We lived in the refuge for 5 months in total. It doesn't sound like long, but it felt like a lifetime. I used to tell the boys that we were living in 'The Special House', and that it was so lovely that we couldn't tell anyone else where it is, otherwise everyone would want to live here.

I was nervous about moving into refuge, but the support from Llamau was amazing and I felt at ease straight away. There was always someone there whenever I needed them. I could say anything and I never felt judged, embarrassed or ashamed. They helped me to understand that the abuse wasn't my fault. It was so important to me to make sure that the boys were coping, and they didn't see how I was feeling.

Living in refuge, you feel surrounded by people who understand, and get to meet people with similar experiences to your own. Writing 'Granny Grey Saves The Day', a book to help families fleeing domestic abuse adjust to life in refuge, was a very therapeutic experience. I feel so proud that we have taken bad experiences and used them to create something positive to help other people.

I did have a few wobbles when it came time for us to leave and move into our own house, but I'm now feeling positive for the future, and I know that Llamau are always just a phone call away.

*Names and images have been changed