It's only little bitty kids who have no idea about the world who cling to abusive parents. In the case mentioned earlier, Diane Down's daughter, she was maybe 6 years old. Older kids - and teens - who are beaten or assaulted or with attempted murder don't cling to their parents. Obviously there are exceptions, but to think that Ethan's older brother who is now married with kids is clinging to an abusive mother because he's too dumb to know better is just wrong thinking, IMHO.
I'm sorry this awful thing happened to you.