Yet, there are those who would argue that women who endure violent relationships must in fact consent to them. Existing research provides numerous answers to this question. Women don't leave because by the time they have experienced such violence, their self-esteem has plunged dramatically. They have internalized the abuse meted out by their partners. They are often afraid for their lives and the lives of their children.
Many women stay for reasons of economic security for their children.
Society provides scant support for women who are single parents, whether by choice or not. Women don't leave because they have nowhere to go. Transition houses are already filled to capacity, and they are simply transitional. Finally, many women stay in such relationships because they don't think anyone will believe their stories of abuse. After all, the men who abuse them are not mad or psychotic.