Nu Vibez and Roleplay Guide Magazine - October 2014 | Page 66
of relationships and the most
tortured of them and through
this portrayal gave us insight
into some of the reasons why
women stay in the relationships
they are in. The place of
women, children, financial
support, family loyalties,
expectations and social
acceptability are just some
traditional reasons why women
stay. Most of these reasons are
still current.
It is important to remember
that the worst of unhappy
relationships are dysfunctional
due to abuse. The abuse may
be mainly physical, or mainly
psychological or a combination
of both. Both kinds of abuse can
cause death of the victim.
Physical abuse, (actual hitting,
beating, tying up, threatening
with weapons and so on) is
clearly potentially fatal as
it continues and escalates.
Psychological abuse, (threats,
shouting, name-calling,
restrictions on behaviour,
humiliation, and so on) is less
obviously directly fatal until
one includes the mental mood
state of depression that will
accompany both physical and
psychological abuse. In fact
in psychological abuse the
depression and hopelessness
might be even more acutely
self-directed because there is
no way of avoiding the damage
once the abusive value system
and attitudes have intruded
themselves into the victim’s
head.
Whether physical or
psychological abuse is present,
the abuser may use various
66 October 2014 - NuVibez Magazine
techniques to ensure the
victim stays. One of these is
apologising after the abuse.
Another is victim blaming.
When the abuser appears to
genuinely feel remorse for their
behaviour with assurances they
will not do it again, the victim,
who still loves them, and may
be further bound to them by
children or finances, will be
inclined to give them another
chance, [