| They say victims of domestic abuse come in all | | | | arousal at the point of attack. |
| shapes and sizes, yet have some very distinct | | | | This distinction is central to Guttman's classifying the |
| commonalities characteristic of being in an abusive | | | | former batterer as a pit bull and the latter as a cobra. |
| relationship. | | | | Each approaches their victim in their own unique style. |
| Batterers, on the other hand, come in two very | | | | The pit bull crude and the cobra slick. |
| distinct breeds. What are they? | | | | The Importance of Understanding Domestic Abuse |
| Two Kinds of Batterers: | | | | Dynamics |
| There are those that bully in a crude and sloppy way, | | | | It is often confusing from the outside looking in to |
| and those that bully in a slick and contrived way. | | | | even image that these two very distinct batterers |
| The more crude bully displays intermittent explosive | | | | are indeed both abusers. Their differences add to |
| behavior from his/her narcissistic vantage point. | | | | one's confusion in understanding "battering." And |
| Whereas, the slick bully displays a more sociopathic, | | | | further in identifying dangerously abusive relationships. |
| yet narcissistic pattern of behavior with respect to | | | | If you are in an abusive relationship and find yourself |
| his/her victim. | | | | scratching your head wondering if this is indeed a |
| Each is potentially dangerous in their own way. And | | | | bully across the table, seek to understand the |
| each recognizable by the way in which they control | | | | dynamics of abusive relationships in general. As you |
| their victims. In a study in the 80's, the late | | | | do, you will recognize abusers come in two distinct |
| psychologist Guttman pointed out that the more | | | | types, yet have characteristics in common that |
| crude bully showed an increase in heart rate as he | | | | define intimate partner abusers. |
| strikes. And the slick bully evidenced a lowering of | | | | |