I don't know why some other people would keep these relationships, I only know why I do. It is the only way to be able to see my mother and have some kind of relationship with her. She didn't raise me, only my sister and my grandmother(who did raise me) says that whatever happens, she will always still be my mother and that I need to try to keep as much peace in the family as possible. My mother took my step-father's side in everything and called me a liar, she didn't speak to me for about 2 years and I felt like all the tension was my fault. So, when she came back into my life I just wanted a mother, so that meant having to be around him, a lot. It also means that he has every opportunity to whisper obscene things to me and he knows that I won't tell because I hate confrontation and don't want to hurt my family any more than I already have. I feel the need to try and keep everyone from being mad at me. It may sound stupid to a lot of people but I sometimes feel like I have no choice, like I have never had any choice...but I have never had any therapy and my views are probably twisted. So, that is my reason that I have a relationship with my abuser. I don't want to...but I don't know how to get out of it.