Crazy Love Book 2

Crazy Love Book 2 Review
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Crazy Love Book 2 Review
In ‘Crazy Love,’ Leslie Morgan Steiner explores her journey in an abusive relationship. Leslie talks about the tactics her ex-husband Conor used to control her and force her to remain in the abusive relationship. Despite the continuous abuse, Leslie thought that she ‘loved’ Connor to an extent that she did not want to leave him. In the end, Leslie demonstrates how she managed to break free from the abusive relationship. The memoir is an eye-opener on domestic violence and the need for individuals to seek help.
Leslie demonstrates that Conor used a variety of tactics to control her. One of them is the use of coercion and threats. In the Power and Control Wheel, this tactic entails making threats to hurt a woman or leave her. Conor knew that Leslie loved him and he took advantage of this to mistreat her. When Leslie felt that they did not have money, she wanted them to reduce their spending, something that Conor did not want (Steiner, 2009). Conor made it feel like Leslie was responsible for the financial challenges they were facing. When at some point Leslie insisted that there was no money, Conor indicated that he was not going to marry her (Steiner, 2009). Such a threat to leave Leslie made her do whatever was possible to maintain Conor. The second tactic Conor used to control Leslie was using male privilege. In the Power and Control Wheel, this entails the man treating the woman as a slave, defining men's and women’s roles, and making all the major decisions. Conor made all the major decisions about the family. For instance, he quit his job without consulting Leslie and decided that his wife needed to leave her job so that they relocate to his new station. In another instance, Conor was angry at Leslie when he found out that she had not packed his clothes during their honeymoon. Conor indicates that he assumed packing the clothes was the responsibility of a ‘good ‘wife (Leslie, 2009).
The examples in ‘Crazy Love’ help in demonstrating why survivors stay with their abusers. Leslie undergoes abuse for a long time, yet stays with Conor for several years. One of the reasons for this is victims seeking to make the relationship work. Survivors tend to think they are so much in love with the abuser to an extent ...