Most people, whether or not they realize it, have attitudes and beliefs about battering that are based on myths. Myths are false beliefs that most people think are true. The following statements are myths that you, your family, your friends, even your doctor, minister, or lawyer might believe.

The Myths of Violence
Myths about Battered Women
Myths about Abusers
Facts about Battering

The Myths of Violence

Myth: Woman battering is rare and is often an isolated incident.
Fact: Every nine seconds a woman is battered. Battery is the single major cause of injury to women, more prevalent than street rape, muggings or auto accidents. Three to four million women are battered each year.

Myth: Women like the abuse or they would leave.
Fact: No survivors likes the degradation and humiliation of a battering relationship. But many survivors feel they have no alternative. They have no place to go, no financial resources or emotional support. Many face threats of increased violence if they attempt to leave.

Myth: Domestic violence occurs mostly in heterosexual, low income, and ethnic families.
Fact: Battering and abuse are issues which cross all boundaries - including those of ethnicity, class and sexual orientation.

Myth: There is no way to break out of a battering relationship.
Fact: Survivors can free themselves when they discover their own strengths and take advantage of community resources that offer safe and secure environments. WOMAN, Inc. provides the critical legal referrals, therapy, peer counseling, and advocacy that help survivors help themselves and their children.

Myths about Battered People

• Survivors are masochistic; they like being beaten.
• Survivors deserve to be beaten; they provoke it.
• If a survivor wanted to leave, she would get plenty of help to do so.

Myths about Abusers

• Drinking causes people to batter.
• A batterer must also beat their children.
• God-fearing people don't batter.
• Batterers are never loving; they are mean and violent all the time.
• Educated professional people don't batter.
• Batterers are violent with many other people, such as coworkers and friends.

Facts about Battering

• 95 percent of all victims of domestic violence are women.
• Women are seven times more likely to resort to violence in self-defense.
• Three out of five women will be battered at least once in their lifetime.
• Four thousand women are killed by their partners each year.
• Abuse escalates over time, often starting as verbal attacks, erupting into violence and becoming increasingly violent.