While the above description may fit some battered women, it by no means applies to all.
Domestic violence crosses all socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, educational, age, and religious lines.
If a battered woman doesn't leave her partner, it must be because she enjoys the abuse. Inherent in this myth is the notion that the battered woman is masochistic. Originating with Freud, the misconception is that the woman is receiving some sort of sexual gratification from the battering. Battered women are mentally unstable if they choose to stay in abusive relationships. The dynamics of abusive relationships are complex and intense.