There is no profile of a "typical" batterer because abusers come from all ethnic, age, sexual orientation, religious, racial, socioeconomic, and geographical backgrounds. There are several traits and behaviors associated with most abusers, including:

• low self-worth
• difficulty trusting people
• the belief that emotional distress is caused by external factors
• a lack of ability to nurture others
• striving to be the "perfect male"
• fear of losing control
• being out of touch with feelings other than anger
• Unassertiveness
• appearing to have dual personalities
• extreme jealousy and possessiveness
• rigidity
• blaming others and does not assume responsibility for their actions
• disliking and avoiding conflict
• inability to handle stress in constructive ways
• socially isolated
• having conflicts with their spouse over parenting
• believing in male supremacy and stereotypical gender roles
• a high incidence of alcohol or drug abuse in family of origin
• witnessing violence between their parents or was abused by parents
• believing success of the relationship is the responsibility of the partner - if it doesn't work, it's her fault
• less attentive to relevant social cues
• over attributing hostile behavior to others
• making up cues that did not happen