Husbands or partners beat three to four million women in their homes each year. Statistics indicate that 95% of all cases involve male abusers and female victims. (U.S. Department of Justice) Women and children are not the only victims of violence, but statistics indicate that more women than men are battered by their partners. Therefore, we refer to the victim as "she" and the abuser as "he."

The above question, "Why do battered women stay?" more accurately reflects society’s reality. Gender also plays a large role in the power imbalance that forces women to stay in abusive relationships more often than men.

Asking why she stays is an important question to answer, but it is also important to examine societies need to ask it. We ask this question because we have a need to place blame somewhere. It is easier to blame the victim of a crime than to hold the perpetrator accountable, especially in the complicated context of domestic violence.

However, society must get past this stumbling block, and begin to view victims of domestic violence consistently with compassion and the at means acceptance of their life choices and a conscious refusal to pass judgment. We also need to be mindful of the statistics, and be aware that leaving does not mean safety.

A battered woman stays because of:

• Fear for her safety and the safety of her children.
  
  
• Fear that her children will be taken from her. Batterers threaten that they will take the children from the victim either legally or illegally if she dares to leave the relationship.
  
  
• No transportation.
  
  
• Economic - Poverty in rural areas is often harsher than professionals may realize.
  
  
• Nowhere to go in the short term - Rural battered women may not have access to a shelter, or the nearest one may be more than an hour away. Going to a shelter means uprooting children from school and extended family.
  
  
• No permanent housing - leaving a batterer may mean leaving the community because of a lack of permanent housing.
  
  
• Security - Many women have never lived anywhere else and leaving the security of a family is a giant step into the unknown.
  
  
• Livelihood/Lifestyle - Many battered women are business partners in the farming or ranching operation.
  
  
• Children are begging to return - It is difficult to ignore the pleas of children to return to their homes, even when a battered woman knows that the situation is not safe.
  
  
• No childcare - Rural areas face a severe shortage of childcare.
  
  
• Religious reasons - Churches are the social fabric of small towns and rural communities. Many rural women are deeply religious and opposed to breaking up the family.
  
  
• Generational Effects of Domestic Violence - Isolation can be pronounced in rural communities and the family is a closed unit. If a battered woman grew up witnessing domestic violence, she may see her current situation as normal.
  
  
• Guilt, Loneliness, Hope for Change - Battered women stay with their partners because they love them and they believe that there is hope for change.
  
  
• Shortage of Resources - There is a lack of support services to assist battered women in the rural areas. If support services are available, there may be a lack of public awareness as to how to access them.