Wpasierb, it's understandable how your 12 year old daughter feels, but you are the parent and sometimes we have to do things that are for the good of our children, even if they don't understand. It is not healthy for her to live with what is going on there. She might be upset at first, but you really should get her out of there. She deserves to live somewhere where she can have friends over and not fear her father will "start with her."
If he were just sick it would be one thing, but he is abusive and neither you nor your daughter deserve that.