Domestic violence is an all-to-common occurrence in today’s society, and wreaks havoc on the emotional and physical wellbeing of its victims.  Domestic violence is not a disagreement, an anger management issue, or a normal part of an intimate relationship. It is a systematic pattern of abusive behavior with intent to gain and maintain power and control over another person. This includes dating, partner, spousal, and elder abuse, as well as abuse between present or former household members. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of their race, religion, age, socio-economic background, level of education, or sexual orientation. Domestic violence is a crime.

Abuse is any behavior used to control or intimidate another person and can be verbal, emotional, physical, or sexual in nature.  Emotional/Psychological Abuse is the name-calling, put-downs, threats, stalking, intimidation, degradation, tracking time, isolating the victim from family or friends, and forbidding the victim to work or participate in outside activities.
Physical Abuse is pushing, shoving, slapping, kicking, punching, biting, restraint, hair pulling, strangulation, pinching, burning, grabbing, shaking, scratching, spitting, using weapons, and throwing objects at the victim.

 There is a cycle to domestic violence and it has a pattern that it tends to follow. There are three distinct phases to the cycle: tension-building, acute explosion, and honeymoon. The tension-building period is usually the longest period of the cycle, and is generally characterized by a high level of stress. The individual would become moody, sullen, fault-finding, and very critical. They would withdraw their affection from the victim, and belittled them, and make threats. Often times the victim would attempt to keep their mate calm and placated; they would become overly accommodating, agreeable, solicitous, and nurturing. The victim often times would become silent and withdraws from and avoids her family and friends. They would probably constantly feel as if they were "walking on eggshells."
The acute explosion is usually the briefest period of the cycle, as well as most severe. During his explosions, the victim could get beat, or attacked by their mate with his hands or fists. They become extremely verbally abusive and humiliates and degrades the victim. The victim would often try to protect themselves any way that they could,  and attempts to reason with and calm their mate.
The honeymoon period might not exist in every abusive relationship.  Duiring this period, the mate would apologize, cry, and beg forgiveness, make declarations of love, and promise it will never happen again. The victim often accepted the apologies, believing that it will never happen again, because the situation "seemed to be better." 
Violence in a relationship tends to escalate in frequency and severity over time without proper intervention. It typically beings with verbal and emotional abuse and is often not identified as violence. This can escalate to physical and/or sexual abuse which becomes increasingly more violent and potentially life-threatening. All forms of abuse should be recognized as violent and potentially dangerous.
Through proper intervention and support from family and good friends, victims can find their way back the brink of devastation and despair if they have the desire to help themselves.  Coming from a survivor of domestic abuse, let me tell you that help is out there for victims of domestic violence.