There are many reasons why victims are unable or unwilling to leave, and it is important that these concerns be addressed so that those who are being harmed can feel safer and more ready to leave a bad family situation. Learn more about it in this free report.

1. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
IN TAMPA, FLORIDA
Why Do Victims Return To
or Stay with Abusers?
Joseph J. Registrato
There are Many Reasons Why Victims are Unable or Unwilling to Leave, and It Is Important that These Concerns be Addressed So that Those Who are Being Harmed Can Feel Safer and More Ready to Leave a Bad Family Situation

2. Why Do Victims Return to or Stay with Abusers? www.divorcelawyerregistrato.com
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Domestic abuse is a complicated situation that puts many families at risk. Domestic abuse is never acceptable behavior, but often it is very difficult for victims of abuse to be able to leave their abuser. There are many reasons why victims are unable or unwilling to leave, and it is important that these concerns be addressed so that those who are being harmed can feel safer and more ready to leave a bad family situation.
An experienced divorce and family law attorney can provide assistance to victims of abuse. We can help you to obtain a restraining order to protect yourself from the abuser and to go through the separation or divorce process to secure a reasonable financial settlement to alleviate financial concerns. Your meeting with an attorney is always confidential, so do not hesitate to seek legal advice if you are thinking about taking steps to leave your abuser.
WHY VICTIMS STAY
There are many reasons why victims stay with their abusers. These include:
 Fear: Abusers frequently threaten victims that they will be hurt if they leave. It is common for an abuser to not just make threats against the victim, but also to claim that he or she will harm family members, children or pets. In some cases, abusers create a fear that if the victim leaves, the abuser will

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harm himself. This can lead to victims staying in an abusive situation out of guilt or a sense of obligation.
 Self-esteem issues: Abusers are very good at making victims feel badly about themselves. This creates low self-esteem, which can make a victim begin to feel as if he deserves the abuse or as if the abuse is his fault.
Abuse is never your fault, and it is the abuser who has the problem and not
you.
 Financial issues: It is common for
abusers to make their victims dependent
upon them for money. Many victims fear
leaving an abusive situation because they
do not know how they will support
themselves or their children. There are
organizations in place that can provide
assistance to victims of abuse who leave
their homes, and an attorney can assist in
arriving at a divorce settlement agreement that should help to alleviate financial concerns about leaving an abusive marriage.
 Family ties: Victims may be concerned about breaking up their families, especially if they have children or if they are under social pressure to remain married. Abusers can also threaten to seek custody, leaving the victims concerned that their children will be put at risk. Your attorney will help you to demonstrate that it is in your child’s best interests to remain with you after a separation or divorce from an abuser.
 Promises of change: Abusers often seem sincerely sorry or regretful after they hurt their victims, and they frequently promise that no violence will occur in the future. While there are rare situations where domestic abusers

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do get help and change their behaviors, this usually occurs only after intensive therapy. Victims cannot change the behavior of their abusers and no amount of love or understanding is going to alter the behaviors of someone who is physically or emotionally abusive. Most people who promise not to engage in violence again will break this promise, and violence often escalates and becomes worse.
 Pressure from friends and family: Outsiders may not fully understand the extent of the abuse and may pressure victims to stay married or to keep the
family together. Friends and family can
also become frustrated with victims who
repeatedly return to their abusers and
may stop offering the necessary
support. Family and friends of abuse
victims need to understand that they
cannot make the victim leave; the victim
has to decide for himself or herself that
the abuse needs to end. It is important
to provide support to victims of abuse and to try to be sympathetic to the difficult situation that the victim of abuse is facing.
 A feeling that there are no other options. Many victims become resigned to staying in an abusive situation because they do not know of other options available to them. There are many support services that are dedicated to helping the victims of domestic violence, and victims can take advantage of the programs and protections available to them. An experienced attorney can help victims of domestic violence to find the support that they need.

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When a separation or divorce occurs in a relationship where there is domestic violence, the case must be handled very carefully to protect the safety of the victim and any children involved. The Law Office of Joseph J. Registrato has extensive experience representing clients in complex separation cases including situations involving domestic violence. Call to schedule a confidential consultation with an experienced Tampa family law attorney and learn about how we can help you to leave your family situation.

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About the Author
Joseph J. Registrato
Registrato thinks too much bragging goes on in television and other lawyer advertising. The record ought to speak for itself. Registrato was an active duty sergeant in the aviation wing of the United States Marine Corps from 1965-1969, and spent a year in the Republic of Vietnam in 1968-1969. After an honorable discharge from military service, he was a newspaper reporter and editor for the Tampa Tribune for sixteen years during which he reported, wrote about or supervised news coverage of some of the biggest stories of the day, including the trial and punishment of two Hillsborough County circuit judges Tribune reporters learned were involved in bribery and lying to the Judicial Qualifications Commission. He was later named City Editor of The Tribune and then Assistant Managing Editor. He was a full time student at the University of South Florida at the same time he was a full time reporter for The Tribune, and was graduated with honors by USF. Registrato started law school at the age of 40, an age when many of his peers were slowing down their careers in journalism or elsewhere. He was on the staff of the Stetson Law Review. Registrato’s first job out of law school was a stint with the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office, where he learned quickly how to try a case to a jury. Registrato has a philosophy of his own about aggression among lawyer.
The Law Office of Joseph J. Registrato
2607 N 15th Street
Tampa, FL 33605
Phone: 813-247-1900
Email: info@josephjregistrato.com
Website: www.divorcelawyerregistrato.com