Myth: Drug and alcohol use cause battering.

Truth: Chemically dependent men, like battering men, often use their partner's behavior to explain away their own behavior. No one causes another to drink, just as no one causes another person to hit them. Though women and children may expect the abuse, they don't cause it. All people are responsible for their own actions. When the drinking problem is reduced, the beatings usually continue

Myth: Battered women are from lower income families with many children, no skills, no job and no resources.

Truth: There is no particular type of battered woman. Any woman, regardless of age, social class, race, education, religion, life style, economic status or sexual orientation, is a potential victim of domestic violence.

Myth: Men who beat their wives are mentally ill.

Truth: Yes and no. Studies show that while some are definitely psychotic, most are within normal range. Many batterers have a low self-esteem, a high level of dependency on their wives, and show a lot possessiveness and jealousy in relationships. These are mental health and behavior problems. Abusive behavior can be unlearned. However, battering needs to be looked at as a societal problem, not as a mental health problem of the abuser. We, as a society, encourage and condone such violent behavior. And, until we change, battering will continue to be a problem.