Why She Stayed

Ep. 74: Their Weight On Our Shoulders: How Abuse Makes Us Feel Responsible For Them | Wendy's Story

Why She Stayed

Show Notes

In this episode, I’m joined by Wendy as she bravely shares her story of surviving abuse and how it manipulates your sense of duty, love, and identity.

Wendy opens up about how her abuser made her feel responsible for his well-being, and how that emotional weight kept her trapped in a cycle of guilt and silence. We explore why so many survivors feel sorry for the very people hurting them, and how that misplaced empathy is a product of manipulation by the perpetrator.

We also dive into the more subtle and often overlooked signs of financial control, the ways abusers rationalize physical violence, and how Wendy’s experience as a Latina woman added a layer of cultural confusion around expectations, and what it means to “stand by your man.”

This conversation is a testament to resilience, clarity, and the power of naming what we’ve survived.

Wendy's Instagram: @wendyc0rtes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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