This is not the sort of thing I ever imagined writing, but I suppose no one does. I'm Megan, an American who has been living in Germany for the last 7 years and I'm currently trying to rebuild my life while I get out of an incredibly abusive marriage.

Things were bad for years, but at the end of 2024, the situation escalated to the point that a neighbor called the police. This wasn't the first time they had come to our home, but this was the first time I reported what was happening. My husband was removed from our home and I received a 10 day protection order. After that I went to court and filed a protection order which was approved for 6 months, and now a subsequent extension to continue to keep me physically safe.

The man I've been married to was abusive in a lot of ways, but one of the lasting forms has been financial abuse. He maintained sole control over all of our finances, savings and credit cards. He has been the main provider for our family and refused to give me access to our accounts or any ability to build savings of my own. I'm now trying to navigate all of this with no financial cushion, no access to shared marital resources, and no ability to work until I get my visa situation figured out.

Living abroad is hard during the best of times, but doing it alone while trying to navigate a foreign legal system is incredibly overwhelming. My case is particularly complex which does not help things. After months of searching and asking for help, I've finally found a lawyer where I live who is confident and qualified to help with:

Having legal support for this process is necessary, but also expensive. I've been unable to work while I transition onto my own visa, and I have no real savings to fall back on. I'm trying to raise enough money to give me a chance to rebuild my life safely with stability, dignity, and legal protection. The funds I raise will go directly towards:

It's been an incredibly long, exhausting and scary road to get to this point, and there is still a *lot* I have to fight through to truly get my life back. I've come so far in the last 6 months but I'm still at the beginning of most of this process.

I know so many people are struggling right now. It's not easy for me to ask for help or share my story like this (especially publicly). For a long time I kept what was happening hidden out of shame. Most recently, I've stayed quiet to protect my peace and retain some sense of control over what happened/is happening to me. But the truth is I can't get through this next chapter alone.

If you are able to help, even a small amount makes a world of difference. If you can't donate but want to quietly pass this along to others in your circle, please be mindful this doesn't reach my ex (for example if you are still friends with him on social media or are in groups with him). I am trying to avoid further escalation, and unfortunately there are still a number of ways he could retaliate.

Thank you for reading this far, for helping me fight for my safety and to get my life back