This week, Jodi Arias has been detailing her past, including her love life, on the witness stand. Many of In Session’s Twitter and Facebook followers are asking why those relationships matter to the case.

Her defense may be bringing up Arias’ past boyfriends to try to prove Travis Alexander was an abusive sexual deviant, whose alleged mistreatment culminated in an attack on June 4, 2008, when she was purportedly forced to kill him in self-defense.

Arias was on the witness stand for more than five hours Monday and Tuesday, telling the jury about her childhood, employment and other past romantic relationships before her relationship with Alexander was brought up.

Her past relationships include a boy from Costa Rica, a vampire hunter and a man who was 20 years older than she was.

Arias’ defense attorneys are likely bringing up Arias’ other boyfriends for two reasons.

First, if they can show the jury that Arias was in relationships before dating Alexander, but didn’t kill those men, it could support their theory that Arias is not a cold-blooded murderer, but a victim who only took action to protect herself.

In addition, this testimony could help illustrate a contrast between her past relationships and her allegedly tumultuous relationship with Alexander. Even though Arias says some of her boyfriends did not treat her well, their behavior may pale in comparison to what Arias may claim Alexander did to her.

In Session correspondent Jean Casarez is in the courtroom and says the jury is riveted by the testimony, listening intently to every word Arias says.