In one particular case, an Aboriginal woman was being assaulted and called the police, and the police came to pick up the man who was abusing her, and dropped him off several blocks away. Whereupon, he returned and stabbed this woman numerous times. A frequent point made by women survivors of abuse is that they do not want their husbands criminalized. They want the violence to stop, but they do not want their husbands or partners arrested or incarcerated. Alternatives to arrest could be intervention at the community level, with other men telling the abusive male that what he is doing is wrong.
Arrest can make things worse.
A police presence can lead to an escalation of violence in the short term. The impact of police arrest is extremely variable, depending upon the context of the abuse. Economic status has a tremendous effect. With recent changes in welfare policy, women can't escape violence anymore. It is easier for men to get away with abuse.