Battering:

The ongoing patterned use of intimidation, coercion, and violence as well as other tactics of control to establish and maintain a relationship of dominance over an intimate partner.

Resistive/Reactive Violence:

Victims of violence often retaliate and resist domination and battering by using force themselves.  The major goals are to escape and or stop violence that is being perpetrated against them, and to establish a form of self protection.

Situational Violence:

Intimate Parnters often use violence against each other to express anger, disapproval, or reach an objective.  With this type of violence the victim may not be fearful of their partner, nor does the violent one set limits, and establish dominance over their partner.

Pathological Violence:

Individuals who abuse alcohol or drugs, suffer from mental illness or physical disorders, or have neurological damage may use physical violence against others, including their intimate partners.  This type of violence will not target a partner, while a partner may be a victim of their violence at times, others would also be victim of violence.

Anti-social violence:

A person may have had certain experiences as a child with abuse, or lack moral maturity which can lead to developing anti-social personality.  As a result, they may be abusive in a number of social settings, bars, work, home, playing sports, etc.  This individual would have little understanding of the consequences of his or her behavior and no feeling of shame or remorse regarding his or her violence.