As someone who divorced due to domestic violence, I don't feel that this is the least bit extreme. Those of us who enjoyed the Grimm Brothers, Hans Christian Anderson, Rousseau versions of fairy tales (not the sanitized, ruined Disney versions) fell into a different point of view of "happily ever after".
After giving up everything she is or was, including her family, the Beauty marries the Beast, who now
looks like a Prince.
The Little Mermaid endures the constant feeling of walking on glass shards (walking on eggs?) to have feet and to be with her Prince - who ignores her for another.
etc, etc.
So, what do we expect? We expect our Princes to be (in reality) beasts, and to ignore us. We give up our families, our familiar backgrounds, our very being, our names, in order to "win" our Princes. This is just off the top of my head; I'm sure I could make a better case with some research.
Add this to what Carnation just wrote about abusers (and yes, they are charming, beautiful, well-mannered men - AT FIRST!), and you'll realize it's not a stretch at all.
PS - FWIW, the week before I got married - and he had never laid a hand on me! - I dreamed of "The Beauty and the Beast" every night! I saw that as a good sign at the time!
