1 Abuse escalates. When there is violence in a relationship before marriage, the violence almost always becomes more frequent and more severe after marriage. Every month, more than 50,000 U.S. women seek restraining or protective orders. 3 Fifty percent of homeless women and children are fleeing domestic violence. Three in ten women currently or previously married have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of a marital partner.
Abuse happens when people accept violence as an appropriate response to stressful situations.
Instead of recognizing and addressing the source of stress or expectation, the abuser chooses violence. Violence is a learned behavior. It is passed from generation to generation as a way to resolve conflict. The majority of batterers come from abusive homes. Children who grow up in such homes learn that violence is an effective method of problem solving.