The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as a pattern of behavior used to establish power and control over another person through fear and intimidation, including the threat or use of violence. Battering occurs when one person believes they are entitled to dominate and control another. Assault, battering and domestic violence are crimes.

Abuse can take many forms. Battering may include emotional abuse, economic abuse, sexual abuse, using children for one's personal benefit, threats, imposing "male privilege", intimidation, isolation, and a variety of other behaviors used to maintain fear, intimidation and power. In all cultures, men are the most common perpetrators of domestic violence and women are usually the victims. However, men can be and are victims of domestic violence.

Domestic violence can escalate. It often begins with threats, name calling, and the destruction of property, such as punching a fist through a wall, and/or damage to objects or pets. It may escalate to restraining, pushing, slapping, and pinching. Battering may also include punching, kicking, biting, sexual assault, tripping, throwing. It can become life threatening with serious behaviors such as choking, breaking bones, or the use of weapons. Domestic violence can be fatal.

Domestic violence is not about a loss of control or a bad temper. Violence is actually a way to take control over another person and is part of an effective strategy for creating and maintaining power and control.
Domestic violence is a learned behavior and a conscious choice. Perpetrators learn that violence is an effective way to get what they want. Quite simply, it works.

Domestic Violence is a societal problem, learned through living in our culture.