Bancroft identifies several distinct personality profiles to help victims recognize patterns:
: Many abusers maintain a charming public persona while being cruel in private, a tactic used to isolate victims and ensure no one believes their stories. Common Abusive "Types" Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry...
: The author posits that abusers are actually in deep control of their actions; for instance, they rarely "lose it" in front of the police or their boss, saving their outbursts for their private targets. Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry...