is this a realistic hypothetical? Extremely reasonable. Abused people get into a mindset where the abuser is an authority. The authority knows things you do

is this a realistic hypothetical? Extremely reasonable. Abused people get into a mindset where the abuser is an authority. The authority knows things you do not, and will be believed by others. And the cost of testing this authority will be..horrendous. The more confidence that the abuser displays that the rest of the world will be on his side, the more that this message is strengthened. It doesn't matter whether it is true, it matters whether it is believed. "Nobody will believe that you're an abuse victim. They will just hand you back to me." The real chain holding the victim in place is in the victim's mind. And abusers strengthen that chain early and often. :-(