I saw first hand the abuse of my dad on my mom and us 3 boys. With that firmly locked in mind I have never ever been physically abusive. (Mental anguish is a whole other story.) Only one instance comes close. I was cornered in the bedroom by a girlfriend who was swatting me so I pushed her onto the bed where she safely bounced while I exited the bedroom and left the apartment. I've had several women get punchy on me and never liked any of it, and even dumped many for it - but I never hit back.

It's so embedded in my consciousness that my first screenplay, "The Rendezvous", deals with it and is core to the story.