Thanks to everyone for your responses. I know that no one can make the final decision but me, but it helps to have some insight. I've consulted an attorney before when I was pregnant with my son. There is not a lot of legal help I can get because although we have kids together, a 1 year old and a 4 year old, we are not married. I can file for child support right away, but I wouldn't want to do that until I was moved out.
I guess my emotional frailty comes in the form of giving in more than anything. All the other times I've wanted to leave I was eventually lulled back in to the relationship and I don't want that to happen again. For some reason I'm not all that worried about a huge physical confrontation although that's what's sending me here. I take my part in those fights and to some extent consider them mutal. However, no matter who started it, 3 physical fights between us in 7 months is WAY TOO MANY.. 1 is too many. And I need to think about the kids before me.
The reason I want to tell is so he'll just stay away from me in an intaminte manner, however I'm not sure that he wouldn't say nasty things about me to the kids or try to scare me by saying he's going to take them. (Both of which he's done before) I would rather move out with out causing myself the finacial hardship of walking out on the lease that is only in my name, but of course I could. I don't really want to be there for the ugliness which may or may not happen. But I'm also not good at pretending/lying.
(As a sperate thought) Am I the only who feels like, when I tell my story it comes of worse than it is? Am I just down playing it as my nature to say oh it's not really THAT bad?