They feel they will live in poverty or become homeless without their partner's financial support. Others are guilt ridden and worry about their abuser and how the criminal justice system will treat them. He recommend that if you think abuse is taking place, you let the abuse. He also suggests that you remain patient with the battered woman's process. Though African American women have been found to leave abusive relationship sooner than White women, they also return sooner.
Some women leave and go back to their abuser an average of six times.
This is why you need to be supportive and not turn away from her because part of an abuser's tactic is to isolate their partner from others. Williams suggests that you connect the battered person with a culturally competent program that can help the person. However, Williams doses not recommend approaching someone who you don't know. Many people who witness domestic violence feel that it is not their problem and they choose not to get involved. According to Oliver Williams, this is an understandable response.