But he was living in a crowded appartment. We see from Stella's nonchalence that him beating her was not a one-time occasion. Whether or not she thinks it's acceptible, this qualifies as an 'abusive' and he'd end up in jail for 5-10 years by Canadian law. If she didn't report him, the neighbors would.

Also, in this quote-unquote 'age of information' it's no longer the man who rules the household. Women are more aware of their rights and more likely to stand up for themselves/use a womans shelter.

It's icky, but it's true. Beating up your wife is a crime.