Domestic Abuse: Chris Brown Incident Sparks Influx of Inquiries

Every nine seconds, a woman in the U.S. is a victim of dating violence. Since the arrest of singer Chris Brown in the alleged beating of girlfriend Rihanna, the issue of dating violence is again in the spotlight.

DontDateHimGirl.com, a popular dating and relationship advice portal, teaches women to avoid becoming victims and empowers them to take control of their dating lives and make better decisions about the guys they date. "As a victim of dating violence violence myself, my heart goes out to Rihanna and the millions of women each year who experience it," said Tasha Cunningham, creator of DontDateHimGirl.com. "There are things you can look out to prevent yourself from becoming a victim."

Cunningham, a dating and relationship expert, suggests that women on the dating scene do two important things. One - look at a guy's family history. "Did he have a father who abused his mother?" Cunningham said. "Does he have a history of abusing women himself? Often, men repeat the dating patterns they learned from their fathers. In singer Chris Brown's case, it has been widely reported that he watched his stepfather abuse his mother."

Watch how he handles anger in his life. "If he reacts to things that bother him by becoming enraged and lashing out, he's got a problem with anger that you need to steer clear of for your own safety," Cunningham said.

Cunningham advises women who have been victims of dating violence to focus on their safety and healing. "The most important thing women who have been victims need to realize is that it's not their fault," said Cunningham. "Focus on healing by avoiding contact with your abuser, seeking professional counseling and talking about your experiences with friends you trust."

If you are a victim of dating violence, please call 911, your local hotline, or the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224.