Comparing Battered and Nonbattered Women's Reasons for Staying in Intimate Relationships

This study examines why women stay in intimate relationships, comparing battered and nonbattered women. Grounded in exchange theory and learned helplessness theory, it explores whether positive reasons (e.g., perceived benefits) and negative reasons (e.g., perceived barriers) for staying form distinct factors and how these reasons vary across three groups: women never battered, previously battered, and recently battered. A sample of 926 Israeli women completed an online questionnaire assessing positive and negative reasons for staying. Factor analysis tested the structure of reasons, and analysis of variance compared differences across groups. Correlational analyses examined relationships between positive and negative reasons. Factor analysis confirmed a single factor for positive reasons and three for negative reasons ("fear of failure," "fear of terror," and "captivity"). Nonbattered women reported the highest levels of positive reasons, whereas recently battered women reported the highest levels of negative reasons. Positive and negative reasons were negatively correlated, supporting their balancing effect. Even battered women cited positive reasons, though at lower rates. The findings challenge binary portrayals of women as either choosing to stay or being trapped. The decision to stay is shaped by a complex interplay of positive and negative factors, with exchange theory explaining positive reasons and learned helplessness theory explaining negative barriers. The study calls for nuanced approaches to intimate partner violence, moving beyond simplistic questions like "Why don't you leave?" to empowering women by addressing both perceived benefits and barriers. The validated measurement tools developed offer valuable resources for future research and interventions.