[Solved] Fresh Break up, Domestic Abuse as well...

Hi Guys,

I've recently broken up with my girlfriend of 4 years. We have a little baby girl called Evelyn who's almost 8 months old. Now I'll skip forward to what has just happened as I need to make a quick decision (You'll understand why).

My partner went into some kind of rage and starting calling me all the hurtful names you can think of. Lazy, good for nothing, bad father etc etc.. This happened about 3 times leading up to the attack, my replies were to stop shouting and doing this in front of Evelyn, who I was holding at the time. This all started because she feels I cant provide and that I simply don't do enough (I can explain more on this if time permits), but I do work full time and we have enough money to live on.

Now she came back downstairs after a shower and pointed at me, and spoke to me like a child "I'll say this once and only once so you better listen!" She tried to explain I'm lazy and rubbish dad all while shouting at me. So my natural response was to tell her to stop doing it in front of our baby. Then all I remember is, she flipped into some blind rage and slapped me while I was holding Evelyn. I then told asked her to stop in the sense "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" "Stop it". She then asked for Evelyn and I didn't want to hand her over seeing as this woman has gone mad enough to slap me while holding our daughter. She then scratched my arms and bit my right arm. At this point, I was worried about dropping Evelyn so I handed her over.

She then walked off through the front room shouting at me, saying she hates me, its over and things like that. I then went upstairs after she had to get a t-shirt to put on, she had put Evelyn in her cot and came into the bedroom to continue the abuse. I kept telling her to calm down, after she wouldn't listen to any kind of reason. She then punched me on my right cheek, and tired to hit me a few more times. At this point, she leaves the room to see Evelyn as all I said was to check on her. I'm now lying down on the bed shaking wondering what the [censored] has just gone off. Thinking about getting out of the house for my own safety and hers because I did want to do something back. She comes back into the room and starts it all over again, jumps on the bed, tried to kick and knee me, punch, the works... I managed to get her off me by holding my leg out and running down the stairs. I put my jacket on and go to find her car keys so I can move her car so I can get mine out. She then comes downstairs with Evelyn in her arms, grabs the keys and won't let me out. She tried to knee me in a very painful place while she is holding Evelyn.

I move out of the way at this point to try and get her to leave me alone, she goes back upstairs, I make a run for it. Now I've been to see a doctor to document my injuries, just in case. I have also spoken to free advice lines, but I don't feel they really helped to much because they basically said, if I go to the police or an abuse centre, they will get social service involved. Now I don't want my daughter to be taken away... Any advice will go down a treat. But she has tried to attack me before also, but never like this, and for the sake of the child I stayed. Now I can't stay, who's to say she wont do it again. She has a very bad temper and blames me for everything, but all I do is work, eat, look after my daughter, do some tidying up and then sleep... Monday to Friday. Weekends, we see family or try and tidy up some more.

I'm lost on what I should do...