Domestic Violence: Why Some Victims Never Leave

Have you ever wondered what causes someone to stay in an abusive relationship. It’s a question often asked by people who’ve never experienced domestic violence: “Why doesn’t she just leave?” Sometimes, we ask this question because we truly don’t understand what might be keeping someone in a terrible relationship. Other times, this question is used as a way to blame women for the abuse they receive.

The answer is individual to each woman, and the reasons can be pretty complicated. The truth is, leaving can be difficult even when you know it’s the right thing to do — the average domestic violence victim may try to leave multiple times before actually being able to make a clean break.