Mel, are you ever allowed to go shopping for groceries or anything like that?  You could use that opportunity to make a call for help - to a shelter, the police, whatever it takes.  If he insists that you stay on the phone with him all the while you are out, well....sometimes connections get dropped and it's just plain not safe to be on a cell phone in the car.  If he EVER hits you again, there is your opportunity to call the police and let him take the consequences.  Your kids deserve better than this, as do you, but your kids will continue to suffer if there isn't some resolution made of this situation.  It will influence who they choose to love and live with.  You wouldn't want them to be putting up with this, would you?  I'm praying you will find the strength to get yourself out of there and let him pay the consequences.  There are a lot of good people out there, there's no reason to have to suffer like this.  Please take care.