Domestic violence is so pervasive in our society that we even have a piece of clothing named for it – wife beater t-shirts.

These sleeveless undershirts were once a logical option for men to wear during the warmer summer months, but they have taken on a life of their own in the vernacular of domestic violence.

The nickname for wife-beaters probably dates back a few decades when the television show “Cops” became popular in the ‘80s and 90s. It seems that men arrested for assaulting their wives or other female partners were too often wearing these undergarments when they were approached by police or hauled off to jail.

Now, like wearing baggy pants below the waist, the wife-beaters are a ghetto fashion statement for young men who like to show off their muscles and show the world they are not to be messed with.

Unfortunately, they all too often mess with their defenseless girlfriends or spouses or children in their pathetic attempt to physically and psychologically lord over them.

It makes such a statement that many of us tend to avoid these people for fear their anger and violent tendencies might bleed over into our lives. And yet, they make themselves such easy targets for law enforcement officers who don’t need to “profile” to figure out who the bad guys are.