g, acute battering and the honeymoon phase. During the tension-building phase, the batterer becomes increasingly moody, hostile and critical of his partner. Minor battering incidents may occur. During the acute battering phase, the batterer is likely to assault the victim. Major assault of the victim, physically and psychologically, usually distinguishes the acute battering incident from the minor battering incidents that may occur during the tension-building phase. Shortly after the acute battering phase is the honeymoon phase. The batterer may apologize, beg forgiveness, or promise that the violent behavior will never happen again. An estimated three to four million women annually in the United States are the victims of physical abuse by their intimate partners (Harris & Cook, 1994). According to the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) of the FBI, a husband or boyfriend murders 30 percent of women killed in the United States. In addition, violence is the second leading cause of injuries to women ages 15 through 44 years of age (Velsor-Friedrich, 1994).Most aggressors will often attribute their abusive behavior to external causes, while victims attribute the abuse to internal factors within themselves or situational factors about the abuser (e.g. “It’s only because he has been drinking”). The frequent occurrence of victim self-blame is reinforced by social attitudes which are responsible for often blaming the woman for inciting the abuse or not leaving her abuser (Harris & Cook, 1994).There are numerous answers to the commonly asked question of why a woman would stay in an abusive relationship. For many women, no other sources of financial support or housing exist. The responsibility of childcare further complicates the problem. The most serious reason for concern is the fear of retribution by the abuser. Batterers frequently threaten to kill the woman or other family members if they tell anyone that they are bein...
