why do great women stay with bad men?

Falling into a bad relationship is easy. The significant other is usually charming, things move fast and they might claim to love you early on (see also the Dark Triad). By the time the threats start, the fear sets in and they actively try to destroy your self-esteem, it’s too late. You’re already in – and getting out could be the hardest thing you ever do. Abusive relationships are a devastating matrix of love, coercion, devotion and annihilation of confidence.

The most common misconception is that staying in a toxic relationship is a sign of weakness when, in fact, it is, in many cases, a misuse of great strength. To find out why women stay in bad relationships, I spoke to four brave women. Before we get to their testimonies, let me say this: I put a callout on social media to speak to women who’ve been in toxic relationships for this article. The response was overwhelming, and many came from closer to me than I had expected. Emotionally and psychologically abusive relationships are horrifically common - remember that, always.

Read more on The Debrief.