It seems a natural instinct for some (most?) people to try to avoid conflict. They will excuse bad behavior, wait for things to get better on their own (with no real reason for a bad situation to improve), engage in denial, learn to live with it,make unreasonable compromises, etc., etc.
Rarely does conflict avoidance lead to conflict prevention, conflict reduction, or conflict resolution. Instead, it can lead to conflict escalation. If you have tried conflict avoidance, and find yourself in a worsening situation, it might be time for mediation.
