She fears living alone. She came out of an abusive home, so a violent marriage is natural to her. She blames herself and he believes the battering will stop if she improves or stops making mistakes. Religious and cultural beliefs keep her in the marriage. She stays because of the children.
Any father is better than no father.
She has low self-esteem. She has no place to go. Often friends and family are not helpful. She has developed DEEP feelings of powerlessness and immobilizing fear. She has formulated the belief that all she has in life are her family, her house, her children, husband, and marriage.