Editing Cycle of abuse (section)

===3: Reconciliation===
The perpetrator may begin to feel remorse, guilty feelings, or fear that their partner will leave or call the police. The victim feels pain, fear, humiliation, disrespect, confusion, and may mistakenly feel responsible.<ref name="Newman p. 9" />

Characterized by affection, apology, or, alternatively, ignoring the incident, this phase marks an apparent end of violence, with assurances that it will never happen again, or that the abuser will do their best to change. During this stage the abuser may feel or claim to feel overwhelming remorse and sadness. Some abusers walk away from the situation with little comment, but most will eventually [[Love bombing|shower the survivor with love and affection]]. The abuser may use [[Victim playing|self-harm or threats of suicide to gain sympathy]] and/or prevent the survivor from leaving the relationship. Abusers are frequently so convincing, and survivors so eager for the relationship to improve, that survivors (who are often worn down and confused by longstanding abuse) stay in the relationship.<ref name="Walker" /><ref>Brewster, Susan ''Helping her get free'' Seal Press 2006 {{ISBN|1-58005-167-7}}</ref>