Domestic violence, or battering, is a pattern of behavior used to maintain power and control over another person. These tactics can consist of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, intimidation, blaming, threats, isolation from friends and family, economic abuse, using the children, etc.
Violence is a learned behavior and the use of violence is a choice. Abusers alone are responsible for their behavior. No person makes another person violent. No one deserves to be battered.
Although battering often occurs between individuals in an intimate, sexual relationship, it can also occur in relationships between siblings, roommates, and parent/child.