Personally, it started small. I didn't even realize what was happening.
I was very much in love with this man and valued his opinion. Trusted him. Wanted to make him happy. Needed to. So, when he told me that I needed to cut people out of my life, I did. When he said that I needed to quit my jobs. I did. When he wanted things done a certain way. I did it. The people around me knew what was happening, but I never realized. I was happy. We never fought. I was easy to manipulate.
Then we had our first fight. A major one. He tried to turn me against my grandmother. The one person I know would never hurt me. She raised me and is my best friend. When I refused to acknowledge his reasoning, refused to say he was right. He hit me. Slapped me right across the face and didn't stop until I was on the floor begging. He apologized later. Said he didn't know why he did it and I forgave him.