Using qualitative methods, the study explored the experiences of women regarding their experiences of coping with domestic abuse and its impact on their mental health. All participants resided in the rural Eastern Cape, South Africa and had experienced prolonged domestic abuse in marriage. The data were generated through in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 16 women aged 25 to 65. This study found that survivors in the rural Eastern Cape face challenges such as limited economic resources and limited access to specialist services, including shelters and counselling. This is in addition to being constrained by deep-rooted cultural norms that pressure them to prioritise marriage and stay longer in abuse. Experiencing abuse and staying longer in an abusive relationship has been found to have a negative impact on mental health. This study revealed that mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, alcohol dependence, and insomnia are common amongst the survivors of domestic abuse. At the same time, the analysis uncovered that the lack of awareness of mental health and the stigma surrounding it affect rural women's ability to seek help and receive treatment. This study concludes that rural women are more at risk of suffering long-term mental health issues due to their limited access to domestic abuse specialist services and mental health services alike.