There is a significant amount of confusion, misunderstanding and stigmatism regarding domestic violence. Please read further for some common sources of misunderstanding:

Myth: Domestic Violence is about Violence and other out-of-control behavior.

Fact: Domestic Violence is about Power and Control by one partner (usually male) over the other (usually female) that is maintained through fear and intimidation. Verbal and emotional abuse are usually present to a much greater degree than physical violence, especially early in the relationship.

Myth: Domestic Violence refers to men who physically assault their wives.

Fact: While domestic violence may escalate to include the occurrence of physical contact or assault, the physical violence is usually infrequent during the early stages of the relationship, and may not have occurred at all in order for the relationship to have the dynamics of domestic violence.

Myth: Domestic violence occurs in men who have difficulty managing their anger.

Fact: Domestic violence is not usually an anger management problem, and as such does not respond well to traditional anger managment treatments. Men who exhibit domestic violence behaviors usually find that the most severe of these behaviors are only directed at a particular person or group of people (i.e. family), and only occur in a particular place (i.e. home or in private).

 Myth: Domestic violence is caused by the effects of alcohol.

Fact: Alcohol or drug use, while correlated with domestic violence, does not cause it to occur. Much of the control that occurs in the context of excessive questioning, "cheap shots" to end or start an argument, telling your spouse what she "should" and "should not" do occur at times when you are not drinking or have not recently ingested alcohol. Further, if alcohol caused violence towards women, we would not encounter women at bars, restaurants, sporting events, etc.

Myth: Domestic violence does not happen to people like me.

Fact: Statistically, 1 out of every 3 women will be the victim of a physical assault from an intimate partner during her adulthood. Domestic Violence is generally consistent across racial, ethnic, educational and socioeconomic groups. It unfortunately can, and does, happen to people like you.