Martin is an abused elder. Family violence mostly occurs within low socio-economic and miority population. It is as American as apple pie. Battered women stay because they enjoy the violence - they are masochistic. Battered women stay for a number of reasons but few people enjoy being physically abused.
Husbands have a right to keep their wives in order through physical violence.
No one has the right to do violence to others. Women won't prosecute cases against their husbands. In juristictions which offer support and a firm commitment to prosecution, women to cooperate. Husbands are sometimes abused by their wives. And, marital abuse helps perpetuate and expand the acceptance of violence as a mode of dealing with frustration.