Reasons why individuals batter:

• it works
• to gain power and control of relationship
• belief in dominate/subordinate sex roles
• insecurity
• lack of proper communication skills
• poor boundaries
• raised to be aggressive
• unresolved resentment towards parent
• prevalent in our culture (movies, television, literature)
• fear of abandonment
• may have grown up in an abusive household
• believe it is okay to batter
• religious beliefs
• denies responsibility for own behavior
• secret - no one will know
• sexual foreplay
• society does not send the message that it is a crime
• peers who have similar beliefs may encourage or reinforce this behavior
• few sanctions or consequences for the batterer
• shame

(Source: Largo Police Dept., Largo FL)

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