Dear Annie: My husband and I had an argument that got physical. Should I leave him?

Dear Annie: My husband and I recently had a heated argument because he threw away some things that I was going to send off to family. It escalated, and as I was trying to walk away, he grabbed me by the shoulders and roughly pushed me up against the wall … somehow then (I think he kind of threw me, but everything happened really fast) I was hitting the floor and crying.

My friends all want me to go to the police. We have a 13-year-old son, and I don’t know what to do.

I’ve always told myself that I would leave a man immediately if he put his hands on me, but now we have a teenage son, a house, etc.

If you wanted to ask, he hasn’t done that before. He has had anger issues in the past, he has kicked one of my dogs, has blocked me from trying to leave a room and a few other things. — Hurt and Confused

Dear Hurt and Confused: You should call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 immediately — if not for you, then for your son.

Children who grow up in homes where one parent is abused are more likely to exhibit anxiety and risky behavior as teens. They are also at a greater risk of ending up in abusive relationships as adults. Don’t put your son through this.

You also need to keep your own well-being in mind. This is not just a warning sign — it sounds like you have already had a few of those — it’s a crime. You and your son should consider moving to someplace safe until your husband gets the treatment that he needs.

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“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].