Modern dating is full of pitfalls – not least because of the fact that women these days are much more self-confident, and know what they want from life, and from their men.

Actually the days of men being the ones in charge in a relationship are long gone. While some husbands and partners are happy with this scenario, others feel a little emasculated. A US survey in 2007 found out that women had more power when it came to discussions within 72 Iowa marriages, displaying dominant and even domineering behaviour when interacting with their spouse.

What scientific researchers see as “dominant and domineering” can be viewed very differently by the man himself. If you’re one of those guys who always attracts confident women, you probably have another nickname for them that rhymes with witch. But, how do you even attract these women in the first place?

Usually, there are lots of reasons why you might find yourself attracting ‘b*tches’, instead of nice, quiet and compliant girls. The list below gives you some of the reasons why you find yourself dealing with one tempestuous and trying girlfriend after another, and may help you change your ways if you want to stop being a witch magnet.

A word of warning before you go changing your entire personality, though. You might find that those nice, quiet and compliant girls you think you want, just end up boring you to tears!

15. You Are A Human Doormat

Some women like to use their strong personalities to get their own way in relationships, but that will only work if their partner is willing to let them get away with it. If you’re a bit of a doormat, the kind of guy who never argues back and never stands up for himself, then confident women who want to wear the pants in a relationship will see you as a perfect partner. Standing up for yourself doesn’t mean arguing, and many self-confident women will actually enjoy having heated discussions with you. If you’re dating a woman who just wants a doormat, however, speaking up for yourself will soon send her running for the hills.

14. They Flood Your Favourite Pick-Up Places

Think about where you are most likely to meet the women you ask out on dates – and then think about the type of women who are also likely to hang out there. This could go some way to explaining why you always end up dating women who are over-endowed in the self-confidence department, to the point where they become downright obnoxious. If a woman is making eyes at you across a crowded bar, or if she comes up and starts chatting you up at the gym, then chances are she’s pretty self-confident. Try heading for places where interesting but more introspective women hang out, such as bookstores and art galleries.

13. Your Tinder Profile Displays You As A Macho Man

Of course, more and more people are meeting their prospective partners on the internet these days through dating sites like Match.com and apps like Tinder. Your Tinder profile is the modern-day equivalent of your opening chat-up line, and if you choose the wrong words, or try and misrepresent yourself as a super-confident alpha male, then chances are you are going to attract super-confident alpha females. Everyone wants to sell themselves in their profile, but you also have to be honest, otherwise you’re only going to end up matching with women who are not right for you over and over again.

12. You Are A Shy Guy

Some guys find it difficult to approach women, whether online or in real life. Consequently, they only end up on dates after getting asked out by girls. Usually, the only girls and women who are likely to ask out a man, are the self-confident types who can also be a little domineering in relationships. It’s a bit of a Catch-22 for shy guys, and the only way to fix it is for you to get out there and speak to the kind of women you like, and to take the plunge in asking them out on a date. Yes, rejection hurts and can be quite debilitating but the right woman is out there and you will miss out on her if you don’t take a chance.

11. You Actually Love Drama

There’s no doubt that going out with a witch makes life interesting. Never a dull moment when your girlfriend could fly off the handle at any moment! If you find yourself dating one drama queen after another, then it might be time to consider that maybe you actually enjoy the drama. Don’t think too badly of yourself if this is the case – no one says that men can’t be drama queens, or drama kings to be more precise – but if you find this lifestyle genuinely tiring, then it might be time to think about making a change when it comes to meeting your next girlfriend.

10. Gentlemen Prefer Witches

If you’re an old-fashioned gentleman, then the antics of b*tchy women are probably enough to make you recoil in horror. At the same time, however, you’re probably too much of a gentleman to criticize them, or to reprimand them for their unacceptable behaviour. You might find that you end up sticking with a badly-behaved woman for longer than you should, just because you want to try and treat her like well-behaved lady you are desperate to meet. Don’t worry about hurting her feelings if she’s not right for you though. The sooner you move on, the sooner you can both find someone to spend the rest of your lives with.

9. You Are Attracted To Confident Women

It’s a fine line between a woman being confident and self-assured, and her either being a bitch, or being seen as one by the other people in her life. However, some men find that kind of confidence to be a turn-on, and the trickier the relationship, the more they seem to thrive. As with all fine lines, it is very easy to step over it, and when your girlfriend’s cute self-confidence morphs into her stopping you from doing the things you want to do, or seeing the friends you want to see, then it may be time to accept that your significant other isn’t just confident, but a witch.

8. You Like That She Takes Control

While some men may find borderline b*tchy women attractive, there are some who positively thrive on being the submissive one in a relationship – and I don’t just mean in the bedroom. While a bossy woman might not always be wonderful to be around, she does tend to take care of a lot of the boring legwork involved in being a couple, such as taking care of bills, booking holidays or even, if it gets that far, organizing a wedding. If you’re one of those men who likes to delegate responsibility for stuff in his life, then a domineering woman might be perfect for you. If you’re not quite ready to hand over control, however, find someone new.

7. You Are A Jerk

If you find yourself constantly attracting b*tchy women when you date, then you might have to face the fact that you are a b*tchy man. After all, birds of the same feather…If you have a secret or even a not-so-secret love of making life difficult for those around you, or revelling in the mistakes and misfortunes of your friends and colleagues, then you will probably find that you have a lot in common with witchy women, and that you can spend most of your dates gossiping about your colleagues and acquaintances. If this is the case, don’t try and change your dating technique. Simply enjoy the ride.

6. You Are Struggling With Your Self-Esteem

One reason you might find yourself dating difficult women could be much more to do with yourself than with them. Men who struggle with low-self-confidence and low self-esteem often find themselves in relationships with dominant women – not because they are doormats, but because they see their partner’s overwhelming self-confidence as some kind of replacement for their own shortcomings in that department. Low self-esteem isn’t something that just happens overnight. This means that fixing this issue can take a long time too. Even then, don’t put up with a witch just for the sake of it, while you work on your own issues.

5. You Have Serious Mommy Issues

Men who had strong mothers often find that their upbringing has an influence on the kind of women they date many years later. Now, we’re not saying that if you’re a witch magnet then your mother was a witch – that would be just plain rude – but they do say that every man ends up dating someone like his mother. So, if you worry that you keep ending up with nightmare girlfriend after nightmare girlfriend, relax. The problem might be nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the fantastic upbringing you got from your strong and determined mother.

4. You Are Dating Women From The Wrong Profession

In the same way that bossy and domineering women tend to hang out in certain places or respond to certain online dating profiles, there are a few professions out there that seem to attract self-confident women. Given that many people still meet their partner through work, if you work in one of these professions, there is a higher chance than usual that you will end up on a date with a witchy colleague at some point. Teachers, lawyers and investment bankers all need domineering personalities, since being a wallflower isn’t much good in the classroom or the courtroom. So, if you end up dating one too many witches from work, it might be time to start dating outside the office.

3. You Are Turned On By Bedroom Bullies

While dating a bitch isn’t always fun, there are some men who put up with the temper tantrums for the added benefits- the pleasures of spending time with a domineering woman in the bedroom! Most men would say that it is sexy to sleep with women who know what they want when it comes to making love, but some men like to go a step further. They enjoy being told what they want by these self-confident women too! And this isn’t about dominant and submissive relationships. Men who don’t have such niche tastes can still appreciate a partner who shows a little initiative in the bedroom.

2. You Want To Self Sabotage

There are some men who aren’t just witch magnets- they actively seek out women who they know are entirely unsuitable for long-term relationship, as some kind of self-sabotage. This might be done out of some sense of punishment. Perhaps you don’t feel worthy of a proper relationship – or because you’re not quite ready yet to find someone you want to settle down with, and instead, date women who you know are totally wrong for you in the long-term. Of course, this isn’t really fair to the women in question or on your own peace of mind, and is probably hiding a whole lot of other issues!

1. You Don’t Know That Relationships Can Be Different

Sometimes men find themselves stuck in a pattern of dating women who are witchy, or even just a little high-maintenance. Perhaps your first girlfriend fit into that category, and you have never really figured out that relationships can be any different. Maybe you think that you enjoy being with dominant women, until your first date with someone who is more on your chilled out wavelength. You can always stop history repeating itself by making a few changes in your own dating habits. For example, meet women in different places, or take them on first dates that will test out just how witchy they really are.