This wording is not meant to discount the various situations in which domestic violence occurs. Below is a list of behaviors that are seen in people who beat their partners. The more signs a person has, the more likely the person is a batterer. As time goes on, the batterer's behaviors become more extreme and serve to establish and maintain power and control over the victim. At the beginning of a relationship, an abuser will always say that jealousy is a sign of love.
Jealousy has nothing to do with love, it's a sign of possessiveness and lack of trust.
The abuser will question the woman about whom she talks to, accuse her of flirting, or be jealous of time she spends with family, friends, or children. As jealousy progresses, the abuser may call her frequently or drop by unexpectedly. The abuser may refuse to let her work for fear she will meet someone else, or even do strange things such as checking her car mileage or asking friends to watch her. At first, the batterer will say that this behavior is because of concern for the woman's safety and well being. Many battered women dated or knew their abusers for less than six months before they were married, engaged or living together.