Why It Can Be Hard to Leave an Abusive Relationship

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsReasons Why It Can Be So Hard to End ThingsMaking the Decision to Leave

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Reasons Why It Can Be So Hard to End Things

Making the Decision to Leave

When people find out that someone is in an abusive relationship, they often wonder why the person doesn’t justleave their partner. However, the reality often isn’t that simple for someone who is in that situation.

Leaving an abusive relationship is a process that can be scary, complicated, and overwhelming. The person may earnestly attempt to leave their partner several times before they are finally able to end the relationship and get away.

Much of it has to do with fear, dependency, and patterns of control. We’ll get into all the reasons why it’s hard to leave and hopefully provide some helpful insights if you or someone you love is struggling with a similar situation.

If you or a loved one are a victim of intimate partner violence, contact theNational Domestic Violence Hotlineat1-800-799-7233for confidential assistance from trained advocates.If you are in immediate danger, call911. For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you or a loved one are a victim of intimate partner violence, contact theNational Domestic Violence Hotlineat1-800-799-7233for confidential assistance from trained advocates.

If you are in immediate danger, call911. For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How to Leave an Abusive Relationship Safely

These are some of the reasons why someone may find it difficult to leave an unhealthy relationship:

Top Warning Signs of Domestic Abuse

If you are in an abusive relationship and are thinking about leaving, these are some factors to keep in mind:

9 Ways to Help a Victim of Domestic Violence

Keep in Mind

If you or a loved one are in an abusive situation, leaving may not be as easy as people may think. It can be a process that can take weeks or months, sometimes even years. However, creating a safety plan and working toward it is important. Several organizations can help provide the shelter andsupportyou need.

It is important to make a safety plan before leaving if you are afraid your partner may hurt you or if they have threatened you in the past. Consider contacting your local safe house or other community resources to help you create a plan. You can contact theSafe House Centerat734-995-5444for more information.

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8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Leaving an abusive relationship.Choi AWM, Lo BCY, Wong JYH, et al.Clinical features of heterosexual intimate partner violence victims with escalating injury severity.J Interpers Violence. 2021;36(17-18):8585-8605. doi:10.1177/0886260519850539U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing intimate partner violence.Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.Types and signs of abuse.Nemours Foundation.Abuse.Gracia E.Intimate partner violence against women and victim-blaming attitudes.Bull World Health Organ. 2014;92(5):380-381. doi:10.2471/BLT.13.131391Patra P, Prakash J, Patra B, Khanna P.Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(4):494-498. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_74_17

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Leaving an abusive relationship.Choi AWM, Lo BCY, Wong JYH, et al.Clinical features of heterosexual intimate partner violence victims with escalating injury severity.J Interpers Violence. 2021;36(17-18):8585-8605. doi:10.1177/0886260519850539U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing intimate partner violence.Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.Types and signs of abuse.Nemours Foundation.Abuse.Gracia E.Intimate partner violence against women and victim-blaming attitudes.Bull World Health Organ. 2014;92(5):380-381. doi:10.2471/BLT.13.131391Patra P, Prakash J, Patra B, Khanna P.Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(4):494-498. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_74_17

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Leaving an abusive relationship.Choi AWM, Lo BCY, Wong JYH, et al.Clinical features of heterosexual intimate partner violence victims with escalating injury severity.J Interpers Violence. 2021;36(17-18):8585-8605. doi:10.1177/0886260519850539U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing intimate partner violence.Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.Types and signs of abuse.Nemours Foundation.Abuse.Gracia E.Intimate partner violence against women and victim-blaming attitudes.Bull World Health Organ. 2014;92(5):380-381. doi:10.2471/BLT.13.131391Patra P, Prakash J, Patra B, Khanna P.Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(4):494-498. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_74_17

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Leaving an abusive relationship.

Choi AWM, Lo BCY, Wong JYH, et al.Clinical features of heterosexual intimate partner violence victims with escalating injury severity.J Interpers Violence. 2021;36(17-18):8585-8605. doi:10.1177/0886260519850539

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.Emotional and verbal abuse.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Preventing intimate partner violence.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services.Types and signs of abuse.

Nemours Foundation.Abuse.

Gracia E.Intimate partner violence against women and victim-blaming attitudes.Bull World Health Organ. 2014;92(5):380-381. doi:10.2471/BLT.13.131391

Patra P, Prakash J, Patra B, Khanna P.Intimate partner violence: Wounds are deeper.Indian J Psychiatry. 2018;60(4):494-498. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_74_17

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