Sometimes, abusive people take out their anger and frustrations on innocent animals. Sometimes you can tell early - there's something frightening something sinister about your date. They'll plan your whole future, if you let them. It doesn't just happen in bad marriages. And your friend doesn't have to be breaking your arm to be abusing you.
Abuse can take many forms, and can happen at any time during a relationship.
Every year, thousands of people find themselves in abusive relationships with people they hardly know. It can happen on the first date. It can happen on the tenth. Many young people, women especially, stay in abusive relationships because they think their abusive partners will change over time, or that they can change them. You can't change people.