Emotional Attachment in Non-Marital Abusive Relationships among Young Womenin Pakistan: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Emotional attachment within abusive romantic relationships remains a complex and often misunderstood phenomenon, particularly among young women navigating non-marital relationships in sociocultural contexts where discussions of dating and intimate partner abuse are frequently constrained. While abusive relationships are commonly examined through the lens of victimization and psychological harm, less attention has been directed toward understanding how emotional attachment persists despite repeated experiences of distress. The present Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study explored how young women in Pakistan experience and make sense of emotional attachment to abusive romantic partners. Twelve women aged 18–30 years who had experienced emotional and psychological abuse within non-marital romantic relationships participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using IPA procedures involving idiographic examination, emergent theme development, and cross-case synthesis. Five superordinate themes were identified: Love Through Pain: Emotional Confusion Within Abuse; Waiting for the Person He Used to Be; Fear of Loss and Emotional Dependency; Living Between Secrecy and Social Expectations; and A Divergent Case: Staying Without Emotional Attachment. Findings suggest that emotional attachment was sustained through recurring cycles of harm and intermittent affection, whereby apologies, reassurance, validation, and temporary relational repair fostered hope and reinforced emotional dependency. Participants described experiencing profound emotional conflict, simultaneously recognizing relational harm while maintaining hope for change and reconciliation. The findings further indicate that attachment was shaped not only by interpersonal dynamics but also by sociocultural concerns related to reputation, secrecy, and gendered expectations surrounding romantic relationships. A contrast case demonstrated that remaining in an abusive relationship does not necessarily reflect emotional bonding, highlighting the importance of distinguishing attachment from other motivations for staying. The study contributes to existing literature by illustrating how emotional attachment is constructed and maintained through the interaction of psychological, relational, and sociocultural processes. Implications for culturally responsive assessment, intervention, and prevention efforts are discussed.