14 DAY TRIAL // In a new study, investigators in Canada decided to look at some of the reasons women give for remaining in abusive relationships. For the purpose of the research, these were defined as couples in which the woman's partner or husband acted violently towards her, either physically or emotionally. Usually, you would expect people to leave those who mistreat them, and go on with their lives, but in some instances this is not at all what happens. The recent investigation was aimed at understanding the feelings and emotions that govern women's behaviors in such relationships.
It was discovered that, even in the case of females enduring chronic, repeated psychological abuse, there were still some emotions preventing the women from leaving. These individuals continue to see at least a few positive aspects in their partner or husband, such as for example affection and dependability. Previous studies also seem to suggest that some women perceive violent episodes in the relationships as being isolated incidents, regardless of how often such instances occur. In other words, it could be that the way females see their own relationships dictate their willingness to endure abuse.
“We wanted to see whether survey information from women who were not currently seeking treatment or counseling for relationship abuse could be a reliable source for identifying specific types of male abusers,” explains social epidemiologist Patricia O'Campo, who is based at the St. Michael's Hospital, in Toronto. She is also the director of the Center for Research on Inner City Health at the institution. The expert collaborated closely with colleagues from the Adelphi University for the new research. The work was funded by the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of NIH.
“The importance of listening to women's voices cannot be highlighted enough and needs further exploration. This is just one step toward potentially increasing our understanding of how to find additional ways to improve women's safety,” the expert adds, quoted by LiveScience. In the study, the researchers noted that about 21 percent of interviewed women in abusive relationships believed their partners had a number of positive qualities, including being affectionate. About 54 percent told researchers that the men in their lives were very dependable.