The victim may not understand his or her actions, denying the abuse in a desperate attempt for self preservation. The abuser's control of a victim may affect the simplest decision a victim may need to make. Domestic Violence is a crime by the perpetrator, not the victim. A batterer must take full responsibility for his or her violent behavior. Mutual restraining orders are not appropriate.
Abuse escalates in frequency and severityover time.
It does not go away without intervention. Research suggests that a short period of incarceration, followed by court ordered counseling, may stop the cycle of violence. The counseling must be specific in nature and targeted to stop the abusive situation. There is, however, no guarantee that an abuser will desist even with the best counseling. A victim of domestic violence will often lose the ability to view other people's behavior in an objective or neutral light.