Shaw v. Shaw - Spousal Abuse

According to Daniel E. Koshland in Science, 29 percent of American women murdered in 1992 were killed by their husbands, former husbands, or "suitors." Koshland noted, "The type of person who is a batterer tends to become a stalker after the breakup of the relationship, a situation in which the woman frequently concludes (correctly) that her situation can become more perilous if she tries to leave."

Why do more women not take action in such situations? Koshland noted the prevalence of cultural norms which almost seem to mandate domestic violence by placing the wife in a subservient role to her husband. In addition, women who stay with abusers are often motivated by economic dependence and a desire to protect the home and the children--again, attitudes that arise from prevailing societal standards regarding gender roles.