My dad was abusive and generally violent too. He took drugs and stuff and he used to try to burn me and eventually got even worse and tried to kill me. Me and mum knew he hated us, then again he actually hated everyone. He ran away when I was one, leaving me and mum alone and returned randomly over 6 years causing trouble. The encounter I still remember was on my 7th birthday, when he tried to strangle my mum in front of me and my grandparents (who were too old to attempt to stop him).

Then I remember my grandma leaving me alone with him when I was 11.... :/ and I was really not liking that moment. My mum was annoyed when she found out. A few months later we ran into him in town and he was waring a handbag and nail varnish and said he wanted to be female....that was the last time I saw him (thankfully!). What was annoying throughout my childhood was my grandma saying that I should get him birthday cards and stuff for father's day when I never knew his birthday and he never was a father.... :/ all my other relatives knew how he behaved, but she was under the illusion he was fantastic.