The myth that 'alcohol makes man to be violent to women' has been debunked by a new documentary.

The film features compelling stories from four survivors, and additional insights from professionals in domestic violence, substance abuse and policing.

The survivors featured in "Alcohol and Men's Violence Against Women" hope that other women will not accept alcohol as an excuse for violence, or the suggestion that stopping drinking may render abuse history, from now on.

In reflecting on her three-year abusive marriage in the video, "Mary" concedes: "I always thought his drinking caused a lot of problems we had. I realize now alcohol was just a copout so he could do what he wanted and say things like, 'I'm sorry about last night; I was trashed.' I guess getting away from it and detaching completely from the situation was when I realized it wasn't just because he drank that he abused. There were periods in our marriage he didn't drink and I would still feel the same about how he treated me or the kids."

The documentary produced by Northern Michigan University is being distributed State-wide through a 78,000-dollar grant from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation.

Insights from front-line professionals representing law enforcement, a substance abuse unit, and a women's shelter reinforce the stories told by the survivors of domestic violence.

Even though all these factors reinforce the fact that alcohol may be a contributing factor, the root cause of abuse seems to be a man's need to control.