Final answer:
Women with high anxiety about abandonment may be attracted to controlling men as they provide an illusion of security, while such men prefer anxious women to maintain control and keep them dependent, perpetuating a cycle of emotional reliance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women who have high anxiety about abandonment may be drawn to possessive, controlling men because such men can create an illusion of security and certainty. Conversely, these men might prefer anxious women because they can more easily establish and maintain a dynamic of power and control in the relationship. This pattern of behavior creates a cycle of dependency: perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) often seek to keep their partners emotionally reliant on them, employing tactics that make their victims feel worthless, thus reinforcing the victims' need for the relationship despite its toxic nature.
Women who have high anxiety about abandonment are drawn to possessive, controlling men and such men prefer anxious women in return, probably because of the power dynamics in the relationship and emotional dependence that develops. In abusive relationships, perpetrators often establish and maintain dependence in order to hold power and control over their victims. This can result in the victims feeling worthless and emotionally dependent on their partners.