The Psychology of Domestic Abuse Victims Returning to Abusers

Abstract

A significant number of domestic abuse victims return to their abusers despite experiencing violence, manipulation, and trauma. This phenomenon is frequently misunderstood as irrational or voluntary, whereas research suggests complex psychological, socioeconomic, relational, and neurobiological mechanisms that reinforce dependency and emotional attachment. This paper examines trauma bonding, learned helplessness, attachment patterns, identity erosion, cultural norms, and financial constraints contributing to repeated cycles of abuse. Using interviews, case studies, and trauma literature, the analysis proposes a cyclical behavioral model explaining why survivors relapse into abusive environments and offers trauma-informed pathways for exit and recovery.