Government and academic studies consistently demonstrate that the majority of victims in heterosexual relationships are female and that batterers in heterosexual relationships are overwhelmingly male. Battering also occurs in lesbian and gay relationships, and the use of gender specific language should not be construed to mean that domestic violence exists only in heterosexual relationships. Domestic violence crosses ethnic, racial, age, national origin, religious and socioeconomic lines. Same-sex battering occurs at approximately the same rate as opposite sex battering. Studies have shown that the most common trait between heterosexual victims is that they are female.
Many abusive partners continue to batter their victims throughout their pregnancies.
Victims may be doctors, business professionals, scientists or judges, among others. Perpetrators may be police officers, sports heros, CEOs or college professors. They may also be lawyers. Rather than assuming that someone is the type of person that is a victim or a batterer, service providers must screen for patterns of behavior. U.S. Senate, Committee on the Judiciary.