Is Rihanna Trying to Take Chris Brown Back? Why Do Abused Women Return?

There are now some reports out there that Rihanna is reaching out to Chris Brown in order to reconcile. I must admit up front, and I hope I don’t sound judgemental, that I have never understood the “battered woman syndrome” and  don’t understand it now. Can anyone help me with this, because the idea that a lady would desire a man who beats her like an animal is simply incomprehensible to me. Again, I’m not trying to judge these women nor am I trying to exploit an incredibly sad story. I’m only seeking some understanding here. This thing completely baffles me, honestly.

I found the following short article on this phenomena and it appears to have some good insights, but again, what is going on here?