Why Domestic Violence Victims Stay in Abusive Relationships: Part One

W H Y D O M E S T I C V I O L E N C E V I C T I M SS T A Y I N A B U S I V E R E L A T I O N S H I P S :

P A R T O N EB Y : I S A B E L L A G U M B A H

A B U S I V E R E L A T I O N S H I P SA R E N O T F E W A N D F A R

B E T W E E N .

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e H u f f i n g t o n P o s t , 2 9 % o fw o m e n , a g e s 1 8 - 3 5 , h a v e b e e n i n a b u s i v er e l a t i o n s h i p s . O f t h a t 2 9 % , 6 2 % h a v e b e e ns h o v e d , s l a p p e d , o r h i t , a n d 3 3 % h a v e b e e ns t r a n g l e d o r c h o k e d . A s u r p r i s i n g 1 1 % o f t h a tg r o u p s t a t e d t h e y w e r e p r e s e n t l y i n a b u s i v er e l a t i o n s h i p s , i n w h i c h t h e p e r s o n b e l i e v e d s h ew o u l d b e b r u t a l l y h a r m e d o r e v e n k i l l e d .

T H E S E S T A T I S T I C S A R EM E A N T T O S H O C K A N D

S C A R E Y O U .

A B U S I V E R E L A T I O N S H I P SA R E N O T S O M E T H I N G T O

B E D O W N - P L A Y E D .

7 T I M E S

A w o m a n , m o r e o f t e n t h a nn o t , w i l l l e a v e a n a b u s e r

s e v e n t i m e s b e f o r e l e a v i n gp e r m a n e n t l y .

I T I S N E V E R T O OL A T E T O L E A V EA N A B U S I V ER E L A T I O N S H I P .

A l t h o u g h t h e s es t a t i s t i c s a r es t a g g e r i n g , t h e y p o i n tt o o n e m a j o rc o n c l u s i o n .

H E R E A R E R E A S O N S W H YW O M E N S T A Y I N A B U S I V ER E L A T I O N S H I P S A N D W H Y

T H E Y A R E N O T V A L I DR E A S O N S T O S T A Y .

S H E . . .

H A S F E A R O F H O M E L E S S N E S S

H A S F E A R O F A B U S E R

H A S F E A R O F A S K I N G F O R H E L P

H A S L O W S E L F - E S T E E M

H A S D E P E N D E N T C H I L D R E N

B E L I E V E S A B U S E R W I L L C H A N G E

D O E S N ’ T K N O W H E L P I S A V A I L A B L E

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Will discuss thebolded topics today

H A S F E A R O FH O M E L E S S N E S ST h e v i c t i m m a y b e l i e v e t h a t s h e w i l lb e h o m e l e s s i f t h e s h e l e a v e s , a s s h em a y b e f i n a n c i a l l y d e p e n d e n t o n t h ea b u s e r . T h e r e a r e s h e l t e r s f o rb a t t e r e d w o m e n i f n o t h i n g e l s e . As i m p l e s e a r c h o n a s e a r c h e n g i n e w i l lr e v e a l s h e l t e r s n e a r b y , b y t y p i n g i n ,“ S h e l t e r s f o r B a t t e r e d W o m e n . ”

H A S F E A R O F A B U S E RT h e a b u s e r m a y t h r e a t e n t h e v i c t i m

t h a t i f s h e l e a v e s , t h e a b u s e r w i l lc o m e a f t e r h e r . T h r e a t s c a n b e

v i o l e n t a n d d e a d l y s e r i o u s . T h e s et h r e a t s c a n k e e p a p a r t n e r i n a na b u s i v e r e l a t i o n s h i p f o r f e a r o f

p h y s i c a l a n d e m o t i o n a l h a r m . T h e r ea r e l e g a l r e s o u r c e s f o r b a t t e r e d

w o m e n t o k e e p t h e m s a f e .

H A S F E A R O F A S K I N G F O R H E L PThe victim may feel as though no one will be there forher in her time of need. “Even if they were here for me,they would probably be judgmental,” the victim mightthink. This type of thinking leads to self-isolation. It isworth taking the chance that you may be judged. It iseither that or you keep getting abused.

M A N Y T H A N K S !I S A B E L L A G U M B A H . W O R D P R E S S . C O M

Part Two will be up on the blog nextmonth! Stay tuned for more reasons

why people stay in abusiverelationships and what resources are

available to them who need help!