Ending Domestic Violence - The Number One Reason Many Victims Refuse To Leave
How do you end the cycle of domestic violence
? For many of us the answer is simple. Just leave.
However as Erika Tindill - Executive Director of CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence tells Fox News 61 it is not that easy. "The biggest misconception is that victims can just leave. Can simply extract themselves from the situation. Pack up and walk out the door. That is not the case."
Ms Tindall goes on to point out points out more than a few have tried to do just that. "Many victims leave several times, six or seven times before they are actually able to leave the situation."
Still many do not make the attempt to get out. It can be financial in that they feel their economic future is totally entwined with the abuser's. Another could be family as in staying together for the sake of the children (even though the children see what's going on and may be the main ones urging the victim to leave). It could also be the emotional. The victim's love for the abuser is real and they are going to stay right where they are until things work out for the better.
All of this may sound strange to people unfamiliar with domestic violence but these reasons are as genuine as it gets for the victim.
But for many others the number one reason the cycle of domestic violence continues is fear. The fear of what will happen if they do attempt to leave.
The organization Coalition for Battered Women reports that when a victim leaves a domestic abuse victim tries to leave the relationship the danger to her increases by seventy five percent.
A domestic violence victim may be killed if they continue to stay in the relationship. But after repeated warnings from their abuser about what would happen if they try to leave, many are not willing to take that chance.