History Main / RomanticizedAbuse

* ''Film/Passengers2016'': One of the main criticisms against the film. Jim for all intents and purposes [[spoiler: stalks Aurora and then he wakes her up, telling her that her pod malfunctioned and romancing her under that pretense, which from an ethical standpoint makes their sexual relationship akin to rape--no different than if he had kidnapped her while hiding his true identity and then proceeded to woo her without her knowing he was her kidnapper. She understandably calls his action murder after finding out.]] However, it never portrays Jim as having been right in doing this, and he himself says this was wrong. Aurora reacts realistically and nearly kills him over this. It's only after they save the ship together and he offers a way that she can return to stasis using the Autodoc that she finally forgives him. Even so, Jim is meant to be the hero and we are meant to root for him and the relationship is supposed to be a story of true love.

* ''Film/Passengers2016'': One of the main criticisms against the film. Jim for all intents and purposes [[spoiler: stalks Aurora and then he wakes her up, telling her that her pod malfunctioned and romancing her under that pretense, which from an ethical standpoint makes their sexual relationship akin to rape--no different than if he had kidnapped her while hiding his true identity and then proceeded to woo her without her knowing he was her kidnapper. She understandably calls his action murder after finding out.]] However, it never portrays Jim as having been right in doing this, and he himself says this was wrong. Aurora reacts realistically and nearly kills him over this. It's only after they save the ship together that she finally forgives him. Even so, Jim is meant to be the hero and we are meant to root for him and the relationship is supposed to be a story of true love.

When combined with EvilIsSexy, or any other of the EvilTropes, Romanticized Abuse is likely to lead to DracoInLeatherPants. However, DracoInLeatherPants may be justified if the group or person whose abusive behavior is romanticized is [[NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRationalization not necessarily]] [[MrViceGuy portrayed as evil at all]].

* ''Literature/TheSheik'' is a textbook example. Young, rebellious heroine is captured and repeatedly raped by a cringing racial stereotype until the (unintentional) StockholmSyndrome kicks in and she falls in love with him. What makes it worse is that the psychological trauma the rapes inflict on her is not glossed over; they're quite close to an accurate portrayal of PTSD. It makes her "change of heart" all the more jarring, and we're meant to root for a relationship between a rapist and his mentally broken victim.

* Actually gets {{invoked|Trope}} (and PlayedForLaughs) in ''LightNovel/{{MM}}'' when one of the love interests, Arashiko, gets accused of being a Domestic Abuser. She actually has a phobia of males and reacts violently when touched by one. Her love interest, Taro, ironically happens to be a [[TooKinkyToTorture sadomasochist]], so Arashiko argues that it's just how their relationship is.