Is domestic violence more common in the lower orders of society?

No, it is not. Studies indicate that domestic abuse occurs at the same rate throughout all socioeconomic classes. There have been cases of victims who were doctors, lawyers, business professionals, scientists, and even judges. Abusers have also been doctors, lawyers, business professionals, scientists, and judges, as well as police officers, sports figures, and entertainment personalities. The only distinctions that can be drawn is that the majority of abusers are male, for whatever reason, and that they were witnesses to domestic violence in their own nuclear family while growing up.

Statistical evidence about domestic violence, like all statistical evidence, must be evaluated carefully. For example, it appears that unemployed men may be more likely to batter their partners and evidence exists suggesting that low-income families have significantly higher rates of domestic violence. These numbers may be misleading, however, because middle and upper income families are better at hiding violence.