Some time ago, the topic of spousal abuse came up on this site. A member told us the story of her abusive marriage. When she was eighteen, she met an older man who told her that he had abused other women in the past, but things would be different with her. She married him, and eventually left him because of his abusive behavior.
Here's what I don't understand. He told her he had a history of abuse -- that's like a big red flashing sign: "I will end up abusing you, too". Yet she still married him. Why would a woman do that?
Please do not reply to this thread by telling me what a hard, cold, unfeeling person I am. I do not want to minimize the difficulties this woman has gone through. I know that it's always easy to condemn someone else when you don't know the whole story. If I had faced the challenges this woman has faced, I might have made the same choice to marry the guy. I'm not trying to look down on anyone. I just don't understand how you could marry a man who basically told you right out that he would beat you -- and then stay with him through years of brutal treatment. Please help me walk in someone else's shoes.
