Most women eventually leave their abusive situations.  Leaving takes preparation (a woman will need housing, a job, transportation, childcare) and time; in addition, she has to make sure she and her children can leave safely.  Often women have been told they will be pursued or hunted down and killed, so few places feel safe enough.  Many battered women have no job, few friends nearby, little support from relatives, and few financial resources.

Shame:  Abused women often feel degraded and worthless. 
They are afraid to tell anyone about the violence because they may believe it will reveal their "failure" as a wife or mother.

Low Self-Esteem:  Women who stay trapped in abusive relationships often become passive and emotionally dependent.  They learn to be helpless for survival reasons.

Hope:  Abused women usually love their partners and believe that things will change.  They want to focus on their good times together.  They want to trust promises of reform.

Family Pressures:  Battered women may feel that their children need a father in the house.  They may also come from families that disapprove of divorce or separation under any circumstances.  Their partners may also be helpful at times and good with the children.

Official Attitudes: Society generally ignores domestic abuse or blames the victims for provoking or accepting violence.  Some officials  in society and churches urge battered women to forgive and forget to keep the family together.