I agree with you, Jelli. Abuse is a very interesting phenomena that usually starts inside one's own home. The last time I knew an abused girl was in high school. Her boyfriend started off calling her names, and that went to pushing, and that went to straight up knocking her out. He would even do it in public and no one would say a word. It was always, "well, that is their business" and no one would intervene. It was a very weird cycle. Most of the time they were fine, then he would get abusive, and then he would apologize and beg her for forgiveness as if his life depended on it. Then he would be totally romantic towards her, and the cycle started all over again. People would constantly ask her why she stayed with him... her answer was always "because we love each other". Once I got to know her better, I realized that she and her sister were both being abused (severely punished) by their mother at home. Now mind you... these girls are 17 years old getting beat by their mother. It was very sad.... they grew up thinking that abuse was just something you dealt with in a relationship. When a "great guy" would come along, they didn't know what do to.... so they would let him go and always make their way back to Mr. Abusive. It's really all about self-esteem and self-worth. A lot of people have only been exposed to abuse, so they don't know what a healthy relationship looks like. And a lot of the men that do the abusing have self-esteem issues too. They don't see their mate as their equal... but more like their child... someone they can discipline. My thing is.... we always sit back and wonder why the woman won't get out of the relationship, but we don't question why the man is hitting women in the 1st place. Even if she leaves him, he will move on to an other woman to abuse. Too many unnecessary deaths are caused by this craziness.