Originally Posted by
hopeangel 
he has promised that would never happen again.
In an abusive relationship that is the promise I see broken more then any other.
Unless he seeks full recovery, "counseling", and continues working his recovery program...daily... it will happen again. If ever I hit my wife...I would leave before she even had a chance to throw me out for good. Even at the height of my drinking when a thought of hitting her entered my mind...I left the house to remove myself from the situation. No man should hit a lady....ever.
Counseling ..be it through a counselor or a minister is a must in my opinion.
I have seen a person go through counseling and stop his distructive behaviors for 6 months only to return to his old ways in an even stronger fashion and then reject any more counseling. 27 years my sister put up with it, thinking she could change him or that he would change...only with counseling did she see the slightest changes in him.
Contact an abused women's shelter to gather more info on what an abusive relationship can grow into. Educated and with a plan of escape for when it may be needed is a good idea.
Couseling or bust is my opinion.