Lightning,
My response was aimed more toward what I call "general Christian cookie cutter answers" that I read and hear a lot: "Just trust in the Lord and it will all work out." Of course, I believe in trusting in God. But no matter how much we trust, seek, and pray, there are always going to be personal failures and mistakes.
I'm sorry for derailing the thread a bit--to answer the original post, when I was in a situation of choosing to stay or to walk away, I stayed. Which was probably not the right decision and led to more disaster along the way.
Now, as far as Mark 10:8-11--yes, I know that Jesus talked very much about the sanctity of marriage. But I also know that God says He desires mercy and not sacrifice. I personally believe that if a person is in abusive situation, it is not God's will for them to stay with someone abusive. I could be wrong--I'm sure God will correct me if I am. But I always find it interesting that Jesus' harshest words were not for tax collectors and prostitutes, but the religious leaders who told the people how to obey God. He held nothing back in telling them, "You care more about the law than you care about people"; "the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering heaven before you"; and that ultimately, the day would come when the people who thought they carried out God's law best would be told, "Away from me, I never knew you."
Now, I'm not trying to say that our will and personal mistakes nullify God's Word in any way. But it's also interesting that Jesus was harshly rebuked for healing on the Sabbath--something that was obviously against the law, seeing as it was work, and yet Jesus seemed to do this on purpose at times, just to get their goat. Jesus also pointed out to them an instance in which David and his men broke into the temple and ate the holy bread.
I think above all, we have a God who understands our weaknesses, and while we are commissioned to help each other stay on the right path, I personally feel people need to do a little less judging and a little more encouraging, but that's just me. I see a lot of good Christians slam other people "in the name of the Lord" for things they've never been through (much like the Pharisees.)
I often wonder, if Jesus were here, surely He would correct all of us and put us on the right path. But would He also say to those who preach the loudest, "The divorcees and remarried are entering heaven before you"?