Noting that domestic violence continues to affect women in every society, this article discusses some of the myths concerning why women stay in their abusive relationships. Codependency, martyrdom, learned behavior, and adult survivor of childhood abuse theories as some of the reasons why women may not seek help in their abusive relationships. The authors examined responses from 485 victim surveys obtained from a domestic violence advocacy center, Artemis Center for Alternatives to Domestic Violence, in Dayton, OH, from June 1998 to May 1999. Results from tabulating domestic violence intake surveys indicated that a lack of financial resources, a lack of a safe place to stay, and a lack of help from the police were all cited as reasons why victims of domestic abuse were unable to seek help in their abusive relationships. The Barrier Model, by N. Grigsby and B. Hartman, is one way in which to explain the various barriers domestic violence victims encounter when seeking help, and that there are multifaceted reasons for why victims of abuse do not seek help. Addressing the psychological impact of an abusive relationship is a critical step in aiding the victim of abuse and enabling victims to seek help from domestic violence. Tables, references