Hi, my girlfriend and I recently broke up so that she could go back to her ex, we're still in contact and on relatively good terms. He was alcoholic, mentally abusive, and physically abusive. She has children with him, and wants to go back to him to try to have an unbroken family. They were separated for one year, he's been off the alcohol for 6 months, and has now convinced her that he won't be abusive again (he always used alcohol as an excuse for the abuse).

Has anyone been in the same or similar situation as her, and went back to an abusive ex?

Did it or didn't it work?
Did the abuse reoccur?
What advice would you give her?