Singer Whitney Houston and her husband, singer Bobby Brown, pose at the Vanity Fair post-Academy Awards party in Los Angeles in this March 25, 2001 file photo. Houston has filed for divorce from Brown, her spokeswoman said last Wednesday, following 14 tumultuous years of marriage and tabloid headlines. - reuters

Following the shocking announcement last week that songbird Whitney Houston had finally made the decision to divorce her problem-plagued husband of 14 years, Bobby Brown, Flair asked the question: "What do you think of Whitney Houston's decision to file for divorce and what are your views on women who remain in bad marriages?

Ladine James: It's long overdue, because their relationship wasn't quite civil, with her being a drug addict and everything.

Low self-esteem

Women probably stay in unfulfilling relationships because of low self-esteem and probably think that no one else would want them. Basically they're not confident enough to go out and start a new relationship after having spent many years with one person. They have hang-ups about starting out from scratch, suspecting that they might end up worse off than before, so they just stick with the evil they know.

Frances Ferguson: I was frightened to hear of it. After all that time they seemed to be joined at the hip and I didn't know she actually had the guts to leave him.

Women stay in bad marriages for all sorts of reasons: lack of self-esteem, financial reasons, fear of starting over, and keeping up appearances. It's hard to let your friends know that all's not well in paradise, you have to keep up with the Jones'.

Jenny Jackson: I think it's a fluke. It's not the first time she has 'left him', so I wouldn't be surprised if they got back together.

Elizabeth Wood: It's the best decision she has made because having that guy around probably clouds her thinking. She will now think much more clearly.

Women who choose to stay in unfulfilling relationships need to develop a good self-esteem.

Belinda Sanford: In the first place, when they got married it was proof that love exists because only a fool in love would marry Bobby Brown. Hearing the news of the impending divorce is like winning a US multi-million-dollar lottery. I hope she continues to let good sense prevail.

And as for women who choose to stay in bad marriages I think they must all be on drugs.

Karen Blair: It's a good decision because he was bringing her self-esteem and her career down the drain. She needs to get her life back on track and he cannot help her with that. As for women who stay in bad relationships, it is what they are used to. They believe it's their comfort zone and that they can't manage on their own so they choose to stay instead of going out and living alone.

Nicole McDonald: Her decision is good for her health, and it is a wise decision in self-preservation. It is very important that women recognise when it is time to let go of others and get a hold of themselves.

People usually stay in a bad relationship because of status, or for financial reasons. The reality is that the relationship, no matter how abusive, offers some level of emotional satisfaction.

(Real names have been withheld upon request)