In America, you can always say no. I don't fully understand why she stuck around all this time. This should be a lesson for other females in similar situations. Don't be afraid to leave an abusive relationship.
You're right, you can always say no but then all hell breaks loose with some of those you are saying no toward.
If the abuser makes threats, victims should seek LE immediately. You can file domestic abuse charges and restraining orders. There are methods you can take to ensure safety. This is America. It's not Afghanistan. Women have rights and protection channels. They just need to use them.
Another point to make is that women have a choice with who they date. They don't have to date aggressive jerks, but many do and complain about abuse later. Most women know what they are signing up for.
I'm not saying these apply to your friend and I am by no means justifying what abusers do, but we should learn from these lessons and educate our young on potential abusive traps that can happen.
These above comments are of my opinion only.
Leaving and filing restraining orders are sometimes a death sentence. These people didn't obey boundaries before, now they're ticked off and sometimes make the other person pay for bringing it to the attention of LE.
I dated my ex husband for some time before we got married. I say I never saw the signs before I married him but looking back I should have paid attention to how he treated his mom. He, in my opinion, is a woman hater. Two weeks after we got married was my first hit. I should have left right then but didn't. Eventually the abuser mentally beats the other person down. You don't even know it's really happening. One example was I was 5'4 and 114 lbs. I was told often how fat I was. Then how ugly I was. Then how stupid I was. I hid the abuse from my family because I wanted to protect him from being hated by people. Crazy of me but it's how it was! It's not always easy to leave but when I did I waited until he was at work and my friend borrowed her boyfriends truck and had mine and my kids things out within 2 hours. It's been many years and he and his family are still on a smear campaign about how horrible
I was.
Glad to be out of that family!
ETA: Before anyone thinks that I took that abuse because I liked it or was raised that way by my parents you're wrong. I hated it and came to hate him. Then it turned into feeling sorry for him that he was too stupid to see his own faults and better himself. Then to the point I am now where it is what it is. Lesson learned.
I was raised completely opposite of him. My parents didn't hit me, spank me, or abuse me in any way. I knew I was loved. The way my family loves and the way his says they love are completely different.
I keep coming here hoping to see ARREST. I have my thoughts about who did this to her, as I'm sure you all do, too.
Personally, I think Peggy's son should not be living with his father at this time and wish the court system would take custody of him for now and I rarely ever think that. I just can't imagine what he is hearing from people around him and hope he's not being told that she abandoned him because I do not think she willingly left.
JMO!