content: tl:dr Why Does a Battered Wife Stay? A battered wife may stay in a relationship for a variety of reasons. Battered wives often: Feel the abuse isn't "real, " or "isn't that bad" Think they can change the abuser (Help for Batterers) Believe it will never happen again Believe that help won't work or that no one will believe them or that they deserve the abuse Don't want to break up a family Stay with a batterer because she feels sorry for him as he often comes from a history containing abuse Are economically and psychologically dependent on the batterer Are afraid to leave Are afraid for the welfare of others (like their children)  But, of course, any level of wife battering is not okay and any wife who has suffered battering should get help for it immediately.