Michelle Jewsbury | Source | CEO, Founder at Unsilenced Voices

"One reason people stay in toxic partnerships is psychological manipulation or emotional co-dependence. Victims of abuse are usually worn down over time through continual messages from their partners that they’re stupid, worthless, unlovable, will never be desired or loved by anyone else, etc., until they deeply, internally believe it’s true.... Another reason is financial dependence, which is sometimes the result of economic abuse. A domestic abuser may prohibit his victim from having a job, keeping personal bank accounts, or having access to the family finances. These losses of independence usually happen gradually over time, rather than all at once. When a person has no financial means of her own and long gaps in her work history, it becomes increasingly difficult over time to leave the situation and live on her own, especially when the couple has children to support."