"Social workers say most victims don't even try to break the cycle of abuse until they've endured, on average, 7 separate incidents of abuse....
"You know there's that cycle of violence, where there's the honeymoon phase, after the explosion, comes the part where I'm sorry, I'm never going to do this. It's kind of like gambling at a slot machine at Chukchansi. You get that payoff and you think, oh I can win this," said Kristy Garavello, a social worker with the shelter.
"And then, Garavello says, there's the "guilt trip" - when the victim wavers between feeling she's powerless but that she also has the power to stop the abuse....
"First, Garavello advises, reach out to someone.
"Talk to someone about what's going on, whether it's a friend, family member, counselor because you can't do it on your own.
"Second, step outside of yourself, and ask yourself. If it was your best friend, what would you want for her?
"And third, don't believe everything your abuser is telling you, because they'll try to convince you to stay, and for them, it's about possession...."
http://www.kmph.com/story/22916594/spotlight-on-domestic-violence-why-women-stay
See:
Power & Control Wheel http://tiny.cc/pcwheel
Equality Wheel http://tiny.cc/eqwheel
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