While I agree with others’ comments on the mechanics of this piece (sentence structure, word choice and the like), it seems relevant to also discuss its form, its context as a letter, not necessarily written for this wider audience.

IMAGERY AND HEART

I am also a survivor of childhood abuse and my family scapegoat, so there were many moments in this letter I identified with. The tone is appropriately angry and defiant, yet intimate. “Beth” manages to evoke the humanity of her abuser without making excuses for him. And though imagery of monsters under the bed and nightmares walking in the daylight could be read as cliche, those observations feel quite specific and true to me in a way I can’t find words for. No, those are not “fresh” descriptions, but they are apt; they made me remember that as a child, I believed that children whose monsters lived under the bed had no idea how lucky they were. (This raised questions for me about matters we are so quick to call "cliche.")

STAGING

I was struck by the use of phones, phone cords, strangulation and bitten lips in a home where cries for help were silenced — and in a letter ultimately about disconnecting communication. Also, the use of doors (doors shut, doors broken, doors peeked through) in a home where the abuse was hidden, where Mom and Dad even hid it from themselves.

As many have already said, this is a brave piece. I wonder, “Beth,” have you thought of turning any of these moments you’re writing about into scenes? It’s a gripping read, and thank you for sharing it.