Violence in relationships generally escalates until the woman is permanently injured or killed. Sociologist Ackerman and therapist Pickering show how to break the cycle of abuse before it's too late, and they take an in-depth look, using case studies of women from widely differing backgrounds, to answer the question many people find inexplicable: why do women stay in abusive relationships? But rather than simply describing the condition and the reasons behind it; they give concrete steps that abused women can take to get out of their relationship and into a place of safety, with the time and protection they need to heal.