Stockholm syndrome occurs when a person in captivity becomes emotionally attached to their captor as a coping mechanism to get through life-threatening situations. After a bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, a woman became so bonded to her captor that she ended her marriage engagement and was loyal to the captor while he was in prison. Signs of this dynamic include self-blame when mistreated; sympathy and other positive feelings toward a captor or abuser; feeling negatively toward police, rescuers, or people trying to help; and feeling anxious or on edge.
In a new interview, the former member of the girl group alleges that people close to the band took advantage of her and her former bandmates, stating that they re thrown into the spotlight at such a young age.