Certain myths regarding abusive relationships still endure, including the idea that all batterers are alike. But Neil L. Jacobson, Ph.D., and John Gottman, Ph.D. revise this and other falsehoods about battering by drawing on their decade of research with more than 200 couples. When Men Batter Women offers a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the men who became batterers - and how to put a stop to the cycle of relationship violence.
The authors conclude that while the progression of their violence is not always predictable, batterers tend to fall into one of two categories, which they call "Pit Bulls" and "Cobras." Knowing which type a batterer is helps gauge whether an abusive relationship is salvageable or whether the situation is beyond repair. Jacobson and Gottman look at the dynamics of these relationships, and discuss how women in their study group prepared themselves to leave an abusive partner, where a battered woman can get help, and how she can keep herself safe.
For women in such relationships, as well as friends, relatives, and caregivers who want to help, this book provides invaluable support.