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Why not just break up?

The video is currently only available in swedish.

It can be difficult to understand why someone stays with a partner who is treating them badly. There are many reasons why it can be difficult to leave someone who abuses you.

For one thing, the abuse often creeps up and gets worse as time goes on. It hardly ever begins with a punch on the first date; if it did, then not many people would have carried on in the relationship. The person who is being abused can have mixed feelings. You might still love or be in love with the person abusing you, and some aspects of the relationship might still feel good and meaningful. The person using abusive behaviour can switch from being considerate and loving to being aggressive and violent. It can be hard to leave if you hope or dream that things can be good again. The thought of talking about the abuse isn’t always straightforward. Many victims are ashamed and feel guilty because the relationship hasn’t turned out the way they had expected. It’s common to worry about how people around them will react and if they will be given enough support. The abuser might threaten to make the situation worse if you leave them; they might threaten to kill themselves or seriously harm their partner. Many victims stay in the relationship to protect themselves and their family from even more abuse.

There are other things that can make it difficult to leave, like being financially dependent on your abuser or having children together.

We know that a supportive environment is vital for the person who wants to leave an abusive partner. Do you need support? Chat with us. We are here, we will listen and we believe you.