Abusive behaviors continuum

Abusive behaviors can be placed on continuums which span from totally healthy behavior to totally abusive behavior.
  non-abusive -------    -- very abusive 

This spread is one of the things that makes abuse so confusing and complicates determining whether specific behavior is abusive in a specific situation.

Examples of behavior continuums:

Yelling
clearly non-abusive: warning someone of immediate danger
in the middle:  speaking loudly to press a point
very abusive: loud, aggressive threats or demeaning comments

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Reasons people stay in abusive relationships

There are many reasons why people choose to stay in abusive relationships. The reasons may be complex and deeply rooted in private and cultural patterns or they may simply be that they know of no practical alternative. Any or all of the following may be factors:

 Hope: that things will be better. Abuse may come and go in cycles: increasing tension-abuse-release of the tension; back to increasing tension-abuse etc. A lull in the abuse keeps reigniting hope that the abuse is finished. Also, the partner may promise change when there is a threat that the relationship will end.
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