Search Results: marriage and feelings

Sally Challen, who was jailed for life for killing her husband in a hammer attack following decades of emotional abuse, has walked free from court after a judge announced she would not face a retrial.

Challen, 65, was sentenced at the Old Bailey in London on Friday to nine years and four months – time already served – for the manslaughter of her husband, Richard.

Challen said she suffered 40 years of controlling and humiliating abuse before she killed her 61-year-old husband in August 2010.

Sall's husand called Richard Challen was unfaithful throughout the marriage and frequently visited brothels. He put pictures of himself with naked strippers on Christmas cards leaving his wife feeling humiliated. He was also very controlling whilst he himself was unfaithful.

Sally Challen moved out of the family home in 2009 but was said to still be emotionally dependent on her husband. When she discovered he had contacted another woman, she hit him more than 20 times with a hammer.

The appeal court was told she had two mental disorders at the time of the killing, and that her condition was likely to have been made worse by the coercive control.

Challen said she hoped the justice system would take abuse more seriously. “I met many women in prison who shouldn’t be there. Getting an appeal is very difficult. I was turned down on the first attempt. The justice system needs to listen,” she said.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/07/sally-challen-will-not-face-retrial-for-killing-husband

I’ve been with my boyfriend for 10.5 months.
I’d honestly have to say that I fell in love with him about 3 or 4 months into our relationship.
I didn’t tell him as I kind of hoped he’d say it first.
He treated me so well, was so thoughtful, and made me feel precious.
At about the 6 month mark, he actually told me that he “wasn’t sure” if he loved me yet.
He’s a pragmatic person, operates at a head level, more than on an emotional level.
Coming from him, it didn’t surprise me that he said this.
However it was disapointing, so I put my feelings on hold, and went into a bit of a self protective mode.
We’ve both also had some very stressful things occur, such as him currently being out of work, and my own job being incredibly stressful.
This has placed stress on the relationship, and we’ve taken it out on each other in different ways.
I've also felt frustrated with him, wondering where the relationship is going. I’m 32, turning 33 this year. I want marriage and kids.
He wants these things too.
He recently said that he’s at a 7-8 out of 10 with me at the moment (10 being proposal). But the big question is - will we ever get to a 10.
He then pointed out that neither of us have used the “love” word yet, and pointed out that it could be an issue.
I then admitted that I’d been in this “self protective mode”.
He then suggested that my self protective mode had possibly sabotaged the relationship.
We both agreed that we need to make a decision soon. Either move forward and get engaged, or break up. As we’re not getting any younger.
So we really need to figure things out.

I still love him.
I've realised that I need to tell him, regardless of whether he loves me or not.

Im nervous to tell him, so I’ve written my thoughts out on paper. I’m wanting to read it out to him. It seems to be the only way I can clearly express myself without chickening out.
I’m also a very good writer, and express myself well this way.
Or is that a bad idea?
should I just spontaneously tell him instead?