Morgan’s Story

Morgan met her significant other at work, beginning a relationship that would soon become defined by escalating abuse and control. Early on, this manifested as belittling remarks and a constant undermining of her intelligence. He would frequently demean her, saying things like, "You're nothing, you're stupid," and "Are you fucking retarded?" bringing up her past to make her feel insignificant.

One of their first serious arguments occurred after a party where alcohol was involved. Upon returning home, he allegedly turned to her, seemingly unprovoked, and said in a threatening manner, "Don't ever tell me to shut the fuck up." Morgan doesn't recall what she said to trigger this outburst.

As the relationship progressed, the abuse intensified, particularly when he was drinking. He became verbally abusive, often pushing her against the wall and threatening sexual violence, saying things like, "If you don't pull your pants down, I'm going to rape you.” On one occasion, after she crashed his car, he responded by hitting her, leaving her with a split lip.

Adding to the volatile environment, Morgan described feeling pressured to drink alcohol throughout their relationship. Despite being on psychiatric medication that interacted poorly with alcohol, his family's heavy drinking habits made her feel obligated to participate. She also later discovered that he was cheating on her and engaging in “witchcraft” in their bathroom, further eroding her sense of safety and trust.

The abuse extended into the realm of sexual violence. Morgan described multiple instances where consensual encounters escalated into sexual assault. She estimates this happened more than five times, including one occasion where she was tied up and gagged. After watching "Fifty Shades of Grey," he insisted on trying whipping her before sex. Morgan recounted the whipping lasting for over half an hour, and despite her cries and pleas for him to stop, he continued. On another occasion, when he convinced her to try anal sex for the first time, she expressed discomfort and asked him to stop, but he refused, stating, "I'm not done," and continued the act.

About six months into the relationship, after Morgan told him she thought she was pregnant, he threatened to take the baby away, saying, "If you're pregnant, I'll take it from you.” He also stated that if it wasn't a girl, he would kill both her and the baby. 

Morgan recalls the physical abuse starting fairly early in the relationship. She estimates that he physically assaulted her “four to five times” in the first few months. The first incident occurred after she told him she was going to leave him. She recounted, "He smacked me, busted my lip. It started as a verbal fight, but I told him I wanted him to leave my apartment, and he knocked me in my lip.”

Despite the escalating abuse, Morgan explained that she didn't leave him because she was scared of him and didn't want to be alone, believing she wouldn't find anyone better.

Ultimately, this cycle of abuse culminated in a situation where he involved her in a planned crime. He made it clear that her participation was not optional, stating, "Either you're in all the way, or you're not.” When Morgan told him that she wanted him to leave, he refused, creating a coercive environment where she felt trapped. 

Regarding the planned crime, which involved serious violence, Morgan felt that she had to participate or she "was going to be next.”