The reality, domestic violence can happen in any type of relationship: married, heterosexual, gay, lesbian, separated, and even dating. It may be surprising to know that one in four women in heterosexual marital relationships will be victims of abuse. Same sex battering mirrors heterosexual abuse both in type and prevalence (Barnes, 1998). It’s victims receive fewer protections by authorities. Many battered gays or lesbians fight back to defend themselves. There is a myth that same sex abuse is mutual. Mur

Abusers often deny any responsibility for violence, make excuses, and rationalize and down play their violence against female partners. Men who abuse their partners may respond by stating their violence is a rational response to extreme provocation, a loss of self-control, or a minor incident that was blown out of proportion by the victim. The abuser may feel that the laws are for women and that men are the victims of discrimination (Anderson & Umberson, 2001).

There is not a “typical” abuser. In many cases, the abuser will appear friendly and loving to their partner and family (A Better Way). The batter may excuse, rationalize, justify and minimize their violence against the female partner. (Anderson & Umberson, 2001). Usually people that commit domestic violence only do so behind closed doors (A Better Way). Often when the abuser violates the victim, they do so in ways that cause hidden injuries and do not require medical treatment. Victims may suffer physical injuries such as broken bones and bruises from the abuse. Over 170,000 women of domestic violence incidents are serious enough to require a doctor’s care, emergency response or hospitalization (U.S. Department of Justice, 1994). A batterer does not see the women as people, and do not respect women as a group. Instead, the batterer views women as personal property or sexual objects (American Institute on Domestic Violence, 2001). The abuser may be very dominant and controlling towards the women, or victim, or even the children in the household. Additional warning signs of a potential abuser consist of extreme jealously, possessiveness, a bad temper, unpredictability, cruelty to animals and verbal abusiveness (Barnes, 1998 ).

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