Tough choices: women, abusive partners, and the ecology of decision-making

In a qualitative study, 35 women who had lived with violent partners were interviewed regarding their experience making decisions about their relationships to their abusers. This paper explores their stories, integrating the common themes with reports from other studies. The insights of the women participating in this and other research support an ecological understanding of the tough choices they face--a framework which respects the role of environmental factors (demands and resources) in helping or constraining choices at the same time as it recognizes the importance of powerful mediating factors (beliefs, values, and a sense of personal efficacy).