Verbally abusive relationships are not “two-way”. There’s an abuser and a victim. The roles don’t swap. Or switch back and forth.
She’s the one who elevated the abuse to physical violence.
There doesn’t appear to be a history of violence or threats of violence toward her, perpetrated by Avery. Rather it appears his infidelity was discovered or admitted to by Avery, and then, out came the knife. The fact that the injury was to one of his fingers means that Avery must have been injured in the process of defending himself against the knife attack.
She’s non-specifically claiming “years of abuse” AFTER having been caught lying to Congress. He almost lost a finger (can’t get much more specific than that) and yet still refrained from pressing charges.
This Guy thinks he knows who the abuser is or was in this relationship, and who the victim.
That, with 20/20 hindsight.
I believe my comment parallels your own, though I meandered to why expungement might have been valid (apparently not in her case, but SHE chose not to raise the topic in confirmation hearings for actions which are questionable at face value).
Most importantly: Stupid.