Special immigration benefits exist for foreign nationals who are battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by their US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) spouse.  The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) allows such a person to complete the family-based immigration process independent of his/her spouse and without the spouse’s consent.  This removes the abusive spouse’s ability to threaten the victim with revocation of his/her lawful immigration status.  VAWA offers benefits for both male and female victims of battery, as well as children and parents of abusive US citizens or LPRs.