Requesting your prayers and help! I have been married for 14 years and have 3 children. Our marriage has never been easy, partly because my husband is not very communicative and is utterly passive. His mother is controlling and manipulative and my husband has never stood up for me in front of anyone. I don't feel like I have ever been treated as a wife; more a house-keeper and incubator for grandchildren. I left my career to raise our children and now feel like the worst decision I ever made was to get married. I feel utterly trapped. I don't want to divorce because I know the detrimental effects it will have on the children, but I can't stay in what is essentially a complete farce. We have had our first session at Relate (6 weeks ago) and are waiting for our second, but in that time things have deteriorated again. I now cannot bear to be in the same place as him at all. I don't think I hate him, but I don't have the energy to care about our marriage anymore. Each time I just want him to take the initiative and each time it falls to me to do - I raise issues, I try to resolve conflict, I made the appointment at Relate. Now, it is his turn. He needs to be the man and stop faffing around trying to look like he is making an effort but not actually doing anything substantive to change. I am completely past hope and, I think, beyond caring. But what to do??????? I have nowhere to go to if I leave, the children will have no home and I do not have the finances to support us. Trapped!!