The Cycle Of Abuse

Experts have observed a cycle to violent behavior.

The first stage is the tension- building stage.
" Verbal abuse, threats, and minor battering incidents occur at this time.
Women attempt to calm the batterer.
They try to anticipate every need, wish and whim..

Yet the battering does esculate to stage two,
" the acute battering incident, " says psychologist Lenore Walker.

Stage two is characterized by the " uncontrollable discharge of tension."

Uncontrolled battering is followed by the third stage of " kindness and contrite loveing behavior. '
The abusive husband knows he has gone to far and tries to compensate by being kind and loveing to his victim.

" Eventually , the calm is followed by a slow build up of tension..
A husband begins to think that his victim is getting alittle too free.

Minor battering is used to bring the victim ' back into line ."
( quoted by Richard J. Gelles and Murray A. Straus in Intimate Violence, page 131)