Bernice:There's a psychology behind it and for many women, it's like being caught in a trap.  It seems easy to outsiders that escape is a logical choice.  But it's like having one's legs in a cement bucket.  You can't move.  For many women, there's no place to go but perhaps the biggest deterrent is the fear factor.  Look at how many abusive men go after their ex's and do them harm even to the point of death.  It's easier to live with the abuse than it is the fear of what may happen if you leave.  I think that the abuser breaks their spirit and they have nothing left to help them flee the abusive relationship.   They are frozen like a deer in headlights.