It can be a factor, as discussed in the article, but not always — there has to be a starting point for the abuse and that doesn’t necessarily happen when someone is young. Abusers know how to target those they perceive as vulnerable, and simply being unprepared or naive could be something that marks one out as a target. Understanding one’s own past, emotions and beliefs is a great protective measure — this could explain why many abusers are older men preying on younger women: the victims feel like they are emotionally mature, and while they are, they’re not as worldly as someone a little older than them.
I’m not sure about the term “working through” past trauma — because when one ends up in this pattern, it doesn’t alleviate any pain or give any answers to the victim; it reinforces unhealthy beliefs about relationships and allows the abuse to continue. The only way to properly work through the trauma is to step outside of these situations and receive counselling/therapy and support to rebuild lives with the knowledge and skills to avoid the same pitfalls again.
