I was on the same boat for 2 years. I am an immigrant, so I came here in United States with nothing.He insults me for not having anything, told me quite a few times I do not have the right on my child because I have nothing - no job, no money,no car, no house. I was a full time wife and mom. Being a full time mom is fun, but being a full time wife is hell, considering having to put up with the emotional, mental, and sexual abuse. he didn't really physically abuse me until last december. for so many times, he had threatened me that if i ever leave, he'd report me to the cops to say i kidnappeed the baby (he knows i'm not going anywhere without my baby. I had nothing during the marriage. He wasn't giving me anything. He was very controlling, deciding on everything, to the extent that he decides which deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, bath soap, and sanitary pads to use. he wasn't buying me any clothing despite the fact that I have gained 20lbs from my original weight before getting pregnant. would rarely buy the baby some clothing. My sister sent me some money to be able to open a bank account. Then i started getting credit card offers. I applied for some, then used credit cards to buy stuffs that I sold on ebay and made some money to afford the baby and i some clothing. I was also able to afford to pay my baby's gerber life plan, because he would always refuse to get the baby one and would rather spend his money on his guns and bullets and whatever. even tells me what to order when we have to dine out. Last january, I found a very good job opportunity online which required me to be out of state. Since he wanted so bad for me to get a job, he agreed and he drove the baby and I here in Maryland from Ohio, leaving the baby and I with nothing, he even made me pay $40 for taking the baby and i here. Little did i know he was expecting to juice out some money from me. That very same day he met my boss he told me infront of my boss he wanted me to send him my paychecks. I said no because it would cost me the same amount to send it directly to my bank. It was ok after the first week. After 2 weeks, he started demanding money from me. wanted me to pay for the hospital bills from when the baby was born, saying it's my bill so I should pay for it. he continuously harasses me and demands money. I never gave him any amount, and each time i refuse to give him some, he calls my family and harasses and threatens them saying if they don't convince me to send him money he will file for the divorce soon and will make sure he gets the custody and they'll never see my baby again. i let him cash the whole tax refund checks amounting to over $2400, with the agreement that he would leave me in peace, but it became even worse. he came for asupposedly "visit" then realized he only wantted my jewelries. I already knew he was going to do something abd and take something from me, so i hid everything. I didn't give him anything, he was so mad and I was scared that he might push me and the baby coz we were by the stairway. He was yelling at me too, so i said if he doesn't stop, i would call the cops on him. He left right away and then called my office number, saying the business is going to shut down soon and i will beg for him to take me back. I said that'll never happen, then he said he had put my toothbrush in the drainer??? don't know why, but i thought he had already lost his sanity. 2 days after he called the cops reporting my place as filthy, not suitable for the baby. Cops were shaking their heads saying they just wasted their time, after disagreeing with what they saw after checking my place. the last time i talked to him he was asking where to send the tax rebate and was making sure if I would sign them. I didn't say anything. 3 days after that he filed for divorce. i got the summons last week and am now looking for a good but affordable attorney. i have nothing, i regret letting him cash the whole tax refund checks. i thought we had an agreement that he would leave me be. it's crazy. i've got nothing since i just started working almost 4 months ago and i am sole responsible for the baby. now he wants the custody of the child, obviously just to hurt me, and just to avoid paying for child support because he doesn't spend much for the baby. he wanted to feed his dog the best food, while feeding the baby rotten bananas and oranges, complaing about the cost of the food. i am scared about what's going to happen. i only made phone reports to the local police in ohio when i was there during the abuse. now they sent me a documentation saying i called and wrote them about my case but i was out of their jurisdiction so they weren't able to help. i called and asked them why their statement says that, they said they're not even supposed to issue me one, because they don't have any police report because just calling them is not enough. they claim that if i waqs living there, they would've done something with my case, but i know exactly what happened. i hate to say it, but i think i was racially descriminated, after i mentioned i had nothing because i am an immigrant. the police asked if there was domeestic violence, i said i was sexually abused twice, and been constantly verbally abused every now and then. cop just said i should get a good lawyer or go to the courthouse. i don't know what to do now, but i sure am happy i'm out of that abusive marriage and my baby is no longer being exposed with his [censored] addiction which is one more reason i left, because he had eexposed his "thing" on a webcam online in the presence of the child. I'm scared as to what lies he would say on the court, he had already lied on his affidavit that i received with the summons. He said that when he came to visit, i blew up when he told me that we're over. he really thinks he's that adorable that every woman would want him like he told me. he always gets mad each time i answer him with, "then why did all of those women you've been with leave you?" i don't know what to do anymore. i just wish i could afford a very good lawyer for my case. although i could provide fairly amount of evidence to support my case, i still am not confident after i've been turned down a few times by the places i've asked help with, especially when i mention thati am only a permanent resident, not a citizen yet...i really don't know.