A frightened woman. [Photo/Businessday.com] When news of a woman's years of abuse come to light, the question on many people's mind is 'Why did she put up with it?'. To other people, it seems fairly obvious that you should not let anyone kick and punch you around even if it means leaving. It is not always that simple for them.
Most of the time, the basic factor is love. Despite who this person turned out to be, your heart already fell for them. As twisted as it may sound, some stay in such hostile environments because they cannot leave the man they love. Religious beliefs are also a strong part of the deal. Even for people with no religious affiliations, divorce or a break-up is always a huge issue. A women can feel spiritually obligated to keep praying and fighting for things to change at whatever cost. Though he be the biggest monster, if he is the father of your children, it weighs into not wanting to leave. You are not sure how taking the children away from their father will affect their lives. And in a case where a woman is not financially stable, she may be unsure of how to provide for her children and even herself. Trauma bonding also keeps the relationship going. It is unhealthy and the emotional highs and lows keep them addicted to each other. The same reasons why they won't leave are the same reasons why they do not file assault charges and have the man pay for his crimes.