By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – Financial dependence, fear of raising children alone and the belief that abusive partners will eventually change are among the main reasons many women remain trapped in violent relationships.
Mapaseka Madonsela from a local organization focusing on GBVF awareness said victims often stay because they fear the impact of separation on their children and worry about the consequences of divorce on the family.
She added that abusers frequently manipulate victims by promising to stop the violence whenever the victim threatens to leave.
“Victims are often persuaded that the abuse will stop. They confuse love with emotional dependence, which keeps them trapped,” she said.
Madonsela said prolonged exposure to abuse can also cause victims to normalize toxic relationships after experiencing trauma over time.
Her remarks come as the country marked International Women’s Day on Sunday, 8 March.
Meanwhile, Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae urged women in abusive relationships to leave immediately, regardless of their employment status.
Speaking during an International Women’s Day luncheon with survivors of gender-based violence at the Bloemfontein City Hall, Letsoha-Mathae warned that many women lose their lives after believing their abusive partners will change.
“The minute he starts raising a hand to you, pack your bags and leave. Many women are currently lying six feet under because they kept saying their partners would change,” she said.
Letsoha-Mathae said economic vulnerability remains one of the main factors keeping women in abusive relationships and encouraged them to take advantage of government programmes aimed at empowering women financially.
