History Main / DomesticAbuse

* ''SurvivalOfTheFittest'' characters often have to suffer through this (although it normally ties in with AbusiveParents). It has mostly dried up as of v5, though there is a bit of this as a [[backstory FreudianExcuse]] for characters.

* ''SurvivalOfTheFittest'' characters often have to suffer through this (although it normally ties in with AbusiveParents). It has mostly dried up as of v5, though there is a bit of this as a [[FreudianExcuse]].

* ''SurvivalOfTheFittest'' characters often have to suffer through this (although it normally ties in with AbusiveParents). It seems to be a prerequisite of an [[{{Wangst}} angsty backstory]].

Domestic abuse, defined as physical or emotional abuse between members of a romantic relationship, is a recurring comedy trope throughout history. Why this is so is somewhat understandable- after all, [[ComedicSociopathy physical and verbal abuse between characters is funny]], and characters often find themselves in romantic relationships. Ergo, [[BlackComedy domestic abuse can be funny]]. Lately, however, the UnfortunateImplications of DomesticAbuse have gotten more attention, at least for one side of the equation, male on female DomesticAbuse.

* This plays into the very first ''{{Superman}}'' comic, where Clark Kent somehow gets involved in a domestic abuse case, leading to Superman intervening with the line, "[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome YOU'RE NOT FIGHTING A WOMAN ANYMORE!]]"
* ''{{Batman}}'':

* While not physical, Eustace's treatment of Muriel in ''CourageTheCowardlyDog'' would easily qualify as emotional abuse. Fortunately for their marriage Muriel is either completely oblivious to it or completely subservient to him.

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': The way Chi-Chi fights (sometimes physically) with a completely submissive Goku in every scene they're in together, often over their son could constitute abuse, but it's mostly PlayedForLaughs. The irony is that Goku could kill Chi Chi just by looking at her, but he's too nice to ever do so (intentionally).
** Goku's durability is just as great as his strength, so Chi Chi is incapable of harming him even if she wanted to. It could be that her actions are just [[IdiotHero the only way to get his attention]].

** {{Rin-ne}} is probably the only one that's not one of her darker world. It might be that she's tired of it, actually.

* The DCAnimatedUniverse has this in spades (no pun intended) with Harley Quinn's relationship with the Joker.

* [[TheProudFamily Trudy Proud's]] treatment of Oscar would be horrifying if the [[DoubleStandardAbuseFemaleOnMale genders were reversed.]]
* While not physical, [[CourageTheCowardlyDog Eustace's treatment of Muriel]] would easily qualify as emotional abuse. Fortunately for their marriage Muriel is either completely oblivious to it or completely subservient to him.

* Ralph Kramden of ''TheHoneymooners'' has a number of catchphrases which were literal and unequivocal threats of violence against his wife.

** "Independence Day," with frank lyrics told through the eyes of a young girl who witnesses the frequent – and accelerating – abuse.

* "The Little Girl" by John Michael Montgomery, where the title character – a young girl – witnesses increasingly violent confrontations between her father and mother.

* ''CyranoDeBergerac'': Ragueneau clearly doesn’t care about Lisa’s feelings or opinions; he prefers his [[FalseFriend poet friends]] over her. Then Cyrano notices the very obvious truth that Lisa is cheating on him with a Mousketter. The second Act seems to play this situation for humor, but the very first words of the Third Act [[DeconstructedTrope show us the severe consequences]] [[PlayedForDrama of this when Raguenau admits]] he had an InterruptedSuicide when his wife abandoned him.

** However, the trope – particularly, the male-on-female kind – is all too frequently PlayedForLaughs. The "best" example is "The Courtship of Stewie's Father," where Peter discovers the secret to bonding with his son, Stewie – physically abusing Lois! (This was at a point in the series where a recurring plotline saw Stewie want to kill his mother in the most violent way possible.) The abuse accellerates until a final incident where Lois is thrown into the back of the station wagon and Peter – with Stewie riding shotgun – drives the car into a nearby river.

* The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1−800−799−SAFE (1−800−799−7233), also available at [[http://www.ndvh.org]]

* Though the song focuses on lead singer Jaacoby Shaddix's childhood, Papa Roach's "Broken Home" has shades of this.

* Papa Roach's "Broken Home"
** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERDDbP53Sw music video]] lampshades this. The guy (Jacoby Shaddix's father, if i'm not mistaken) verbally abuses his wife and even rapes her at one part (check it at 1:57.)

** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERDDbP53Sw music video]] lampshades this. The guy (Jacoby Shaddix's father,if i'm not mistaken) verbally abuses his wife and even rapes her at one part (check it at 1:57.)

* {{Papa Roach}}'s "Broken Home"
** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERDDbP53Sw music video]] lampshades this. The husband even rapes his wife at one part (check it at 1:57.)

** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yERDDbP53Sw music video]] lampshades this. The husband even rapes Jacoby's mother at one part (check it at 1:57.)

* Pretty much every anime with a {{Tsundere}} female lead. I beat you because I love you.

** Disturbingly, Saito fans seem to selectively ignore major gaffs on Saito's part in favor of ragging on Louise for reacting to them with equal abuse. For example, it is frequently noted how Louise upgrades to beating Saito with a real whip in the second LightNovel rather than her usual riding crop; less often is it mentioned that this was provoked by Saito ''trying to undress Louise in her sleep''.

* ''{{Loveless}}'' plays this heartbreakingly straight.

** Before that, we see that Akito's mother emotionally blackmailed her husband into agreeing [[spoiler:to raise Akito as a boy]], threatening to abort their child if he didn't agree. She later went on to emotionally abuse the heck out of Akito, which is where Akito picked it up from.

* ''ChronoCrusade'' has a RunningGag of Rosette hitting Chrono when she's frustrated--at one point kicking him so hard he falls to the ground in a pool of his own blood! Of course, it helps that Chrono is [[SleepModeSize actually a]] [[OurDemonsAreDifferent demon]] with enough strength that he could probably bench press her even in his sealed form, and even if she caused any serious damage, he could heal.

* ''Manga/DragonBall'': The way Chi-Chi fights (sometimes physically) with with a completely submissive Goku in pretty much every scene they're in together, often over their son could constitute abuse, but it's mostly PlayedForLaughs. The irony is that Goku could kill Chi Chi just by looking at her, but he's too nice to ever do so (intentionally).
** Goku's durability is just as great as his strength, so Chi Chi is literally incapable of harming him even if she wanted to. It could be that her actions are just [[IdiotHero the only way to get his attention]].

* There's an entire ''genre'' of fairy tales around beating one's spouse, usually PlayedForLaughs or as punishment for the spouse doing something very stupid.

* This is basically the setup for everything that happens in ''ThelmaAndLouise'', specifically Thelma's husband.

** Note this shaking is not when she is deliberately scaring him, but typically is when he is frightened for her.

** The novel ''Literature/{{Insomnia}}'' also had domestic abuse play a part, although this time [[spoiler:it's at least partially due to the fact that malignant spiritual forces have driven the husband insane so they can use him as a tool to kill a young boy with an important role to play later in life]].

** Of course, Bella gets her own turn in ''Eclipse'' and the first part of ''Breaking Dawn'', when she repeatedly tries to force Edward to have sex with her, even though he states repeatedly that he doesn't want to. At one point, she actually tries to rip off his shirt, [[DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnMale which would be seen as horrifying if a man did it to a woman]], but is PlayedForLaughs in that scene.
* Similarly to ''Twilight'', Patch's interactions with Nora in ''Hush, Hush'' are almost directly lifted from the Abuser's Handbook. He stalks her, he mocks her, he enjoys making her uncomfortable, he humiliates her in front of her entire Biology class, he repeatedly forces her to engage in activities she's not comfortable doing (riding a wild roller coaster, accepting a lift on his motorcycle, etc), corners her in dark, abandoned places, tells her things like "A guy like me could take advantage of a girl like you", [[spoiler:lures her into a motel room, ''pins her on a bed and kisses her while she screams in protest'',]] etc. We later find out that [[spoiler:he had every intention of murdering her at several points in the story.]] None of this is portrayed as less than romantic.

* In ''{{Archer}}'', Sterling's relationship with pretty much any woman apart from his mother falls into this. Particular examples are Cheryl/Carol Tunt in the first series, a number of implied incidents with prostitues and his ongoing relationship with Lana Kane which regularly results in her being physically or mentally hurt.

* There are the truly grudinggs on LouReed's ''Berlin'' album, including ''Caroline Says'' ''(as she gets up off the floor/You can hit me all you want to/But I don't love you anymore)'' and the coda ''Sad Song'' ''(I'm going to stop wasting my time/Somebody else would have broken both of her arms)''

* The way [[Manga/DragonBall Chi Chi]] fights (sometimes physically) with with a completely submissive Goku in pretty much every scene they're in together, often over their son could constitute abuse, but it's mostly PlayedForLaughs. The irony is that Goku could kill Chi Chi just by looking at her, but he's too nice to ever do so (intentionally).

* The best Ekaterin from ''Komarr'' by Lois McMaster Bujold can say about her husband is "he never beat me". His behavior--including belittling her constantly, turning anything she says that can possibly be interpreted as criticism into an attack on her by calling her "selfish", and wall-punching tantrums--is severe emotional abuse.

* MarianKeyes' novel ''This Charming Man'' centers around four women who have had their lives changed because of their relationship to the abusive politician Paddy de Courcy, the titular "charming man".

** The novel ''Insomnia'' also had domestic abuse play a part, although this time [[spoiler:it's at least partially due to the fact that malignant spiritual forces have driven the husband insane so they can use him as a tool to kill a young boy with an important role to play later in life]].

** Also see BelligerentSexualTension for $500, Alex.