I'm a 30 year old woman in my first abusive relationship, hopefully my last. We've been living together for the last year, in my apt that I've lived at peacefully for the past 8 years. Make that 7 peaceful years. 2 nights ago I recieved an eviction notice on my door. I know, and I'm sure my landlord knows, that if my boyfriend leaves, it will be quiet in my building again. No one will have to call the police anymore. Do I have a chance? He says he'll move out in order to save my home. Am I fooling myself to think he'll leave quietly and stay gone, or at least start having some kind of respect for... Anyway, my question is, if I get a restraing order against him and fight the eviction, legally do I have a chance? He hit me real hard tonight.

-- Anonymous, June 22, 2001