My alcoholic father kept my family prisoner for over 5 years by threatening to kill us all and burn down the house if my mother left him.
As his raging and abuse continued to grow worse she finally consulted an attorney and got a restraining order and hired a moving truck while the law stood by and loaded all of our belongings and most of the furniture (to keep it out of the coming flames).
He didn't kill us...didn't stop drinking either until it put him in the grave. My mother leaving was the best thing she ever did for us kids.