Can you help me understand.............

I just don't understand why a woman would tolerate being berated and belittled in public by the man she is with and not stand up for herself today. ( I do understand the mental abuse that rips her self esteem apart but I still get angry)
Wait let me back up and give you the story here.......
Yesterday I was forced to throw my very organized schedule for the day out the window by 1:30 which was fine except that meant some rearranging that ended me up at the store rather late on a Friday evening. I was walking along pushing the cart reminiscing about my day in my head when I this asshole (sorry but that's what he was) talking loudly to the girl he was with got my attention. Let me give you a bit of a visual - me in jean shorts, white t-shirt, flip flops OH WAIT I meant a visual of the couple! The couple was in the forty range, the woman was average weight and height with gorgeous curly long brown hair (the cute messy look) and the asshole was about 5'10" and thin (not fit thin with muscles just thin like a stick). If you were to see them at a distance where you couldn't hear him or see the haunting look in her eyes you would like they were the average everyday couple just shopping together. Now that you have the picture let me get back to the story. Like I said I was snapped out of my daydreaming by the tone and the words his jerk spewed at this woman. I heard him say:
"I don't know why we are even here buying this shit it's not like you can cook. I should have traded you in a long time ago cause now even the junkyard won't want you."
At this point she just looks down (avoiding eye contact with me) and pushes on with the cart. So as we pass each other going the opposite direction down the aisle I so wanted to trip this jerk as he walked by giving me a rather perverted glare. By the time I was at the opposite end of the aisle I was steaming hot with the of nasty visual of him glaring at me. ( in case you don't know my history I am a survivor of childhood abuse so I am very aware of abusive men) Now any of you that know me know the last thing I was going to do is let this pond scum have the last word with me or glare for that matter. Honestly if he hadn't given me that look I would have not said a word except to pray for the woman when I went to bed. ANYWAY, I could have avoided them the rest of my time shopping but I was not going to back down or change my path of shopping just because of him. I ended up right across from the lovely couple in the meat department where they were on one side of the display and I was on the other side. She was reaching for in the display for something at the same time I was reaching in from the other side to get breakfast sausage when the creep says "why don't you ever get do smart things like buy breakfast sausage like she is to cook. " YEP that was the opening I was waiting for!!! I looked up right at her and I said if you are looking for something smart to do Leaving him should be top on of the list!!! I know I shouldn't have said it but really I just had no control of what my mouth was saying. (it felt really good saying it too) The asshole immediately calls me a bitch (softer than the tone he had earlier) as I walk away. So, now here is the part I need help understanding. As I cruise past the frozen foods aisle headed toward the check out I see him sulking next to their cart and I hear her say "HONEY what favor ice cream you want?" Good God woman why would you call a creature like him Honey??? A rather cute woman that appears to be middle class (no ring on her ring) accepting this behavior is just sad.
Speaking of behavior - when I got home and told my husband this story he first was upset because he is very protective of me and then he smiles and says that guy really thought you were going to cook those breakfast sausages.............