Reply #67: Maybe it's an attempt to undo the "victim" role

[buzzycrumbhunger]

She wasn't just stung by criticism when she chose to stay with her cheating husband, but found herself to be yet another woman victimized by a man who seemed to find power to be a much greater priority than fidelity. Maybe she's just "representin'" and sending a message to other wives that it's never too late to take back their self worth as well as to men to quit being such weak (or is it vain?) fuckers that they think they can get away with this. How many wives of powerful men have been treated this way? It just seems to come with the territory. Think of all the political wives who've been jettisoned for other (often younger) women and even more who've simply put up with the cheating bullshit because it's accepted as coming with the territory.

I can also kind of relate to the need to set the example for your kids. My ex wasn't a cheating arsehole, just an arsehole, but I reached a point where I realized that in tolerating his emotionally abusive bullshit, I was setting a horrible example for my kids. They've since thanked me for finding the strength to get out and assert myself. My daughter, especially, needed to see what a strong woman was.

Of course, not having read the book I can only speculate from my own POV, but it doesn't seem fair to criticize without having done so.