his is the third article in a three-part series about the psychology behind survivors of abuse often being unable to escape — or even recognize — the abuse within their relationships.

Leaving one’s abusive partner isn’t easy due to a variety of factors, ranging from financial and cultural constraints, to social shaming, to the emotional attachment one may feel towards their abusive partner — and finally, to the fact that survivors can struggle to even recognize their experiences as abusive. Pop culture, and its unrealistic portrayal of abuse, often plays a role in the latter.