The Los Angeles Times recently reported some domestic violence statistics from the Judicial Council of California; Assembly Bill 590 - by Jane C. Murphy.

90% Percent of litigants in domestic violence cases currently appearing without counsel

That is a surprising high number, and perhaps it is due to the common occurrence of accusers
"taking back" what they had said in order to help the accused. From White Goldstein (www.whitegoldlaw.com), a Los Angeles Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer website.

The accuser cannot simply “make the charge go away.” Once an accusation is made,
the law enforcement agency and the prosecutor working on your case are in
complete control..... it is within the sole discretion of the prosecutor to
decide whether the charges are justified and whether there is sufficient
evidence to pursue the case.

It is easy to see how things can get out of hand pretty fast in court - defendants may start off thinking that the charges will be dropped - but the result may be very different, even requiring help beyond the criminal court if family situations are at risk. For example, child custody and Child Protective Services may be affected/required. This is why having an attorney is very important - to ensure all loose ends are taken care of.