Damsels in distress used to often be flat characters who are unrealistically weak, serving basically as a macguffin to motivate the hero, not as a person. 
Real life ones:  it’s no fun to feel powerless, especially when the condition is foisted upon you by limiting social roles. 
When you’re actually working to the best of your abilities and still need help, it’s a different feeling. 

 Shorter version:  “He has my back, we’re fighting together” is different than “I can or will do nothing at all, save me”