What Causes Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is caused by a need to have power and control over an intimate partner. Physical violence is only one aspect of an effective strategy for creating and maintaining power and control.
Domestic Violence is embedded in our social customs and institutions. Many men believe they are entitled to use physical or sexual violence. Domestic Violence is a learned behavior, learned through

• • observation
• • experience and reinforcement
• • culture
• • family
• • communities (schools, peer groups, etc..)

Domestic Violence is NOT caused by:
Mental illness.- Mental disorders such as personality disorders, mental illness, or communication deficits may compound the problem of domestic violence, but treatment for these problems does not eliminate the abusive behavior.

Drugs and Alcohol-
Abusers may blame their abuse on drinking or drugs, and many abused individuals believe this to be the case. However, the fact is that abuse is just as likely to occur at other times when the abuser has not been drinking or using drugs. Drugs and alcohol may precipitate violent episodes, but treatment for drugs and alcohol abuse is not an effective treatment for abusers.

Anger and Stress-
Abusers will confess to being ‘out of control’ if confronted about abuse. But the truth is that the abuse is in perfect control. Too often abuse victims will speak of the abuser in mid swing-stopping suddenly when realizing (not what they are doing but) someone is watching.

Behavior of the Victim-
Many abusers are quick to blame the victim for the abuse (I.E. “I would not have done that if supper had been ready and the house was clean when I got home”) , and many abused individuals go to great length to change their behaviors to pacify the abuser (“If I can be a better spouse I will not get hit”) Batterers will often defend the violence by minimizing and justifying, trying to rationalize their behaviors.

The reality is Domestic Violence is a CHOICE. Batterers choose to abuse.