General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Call police about domestic violence and get evicted [View all]lapislzi
(5,762 posts)You and I, outsiders, have no way of understanding the dynamics of an individual abusive relationship. None whatsoever. We understand in general terms the arc of how things play out.
Women stay in abusive relationships for many reasons. Often these reasons are financial in nature: the abusive partner brings in a paycheck and helps to support the children. There are other, deeper emotional reasons that go to the very root of what it means to be involved in an abusive relationship. Many people simply have nowhere to go, no support system, nothing.
It is very easy to type on a message board, "why does she stay with the jerk?" when she may have some very compelling (in her mind) reasons. Until you have worked with and counseled people who have lived through this, please think before you speak.
I understood very early in my counseling work that my role was to support the victim/survivor and not to judge her choices, which are hers to make.* Of course it is desirable for her to leave, but she has to get to that point on her own, and not without a great deal of help and support.
Think. Sensitive. Don't judge.
*Using the feminine pronoun because it's usually a woman in this situation.