It's an interesting concept...especially if the male partner has made threats ("I'll kill you, you cheating bitch.") and then some time has passed. Especially given that domestic violence tends to escalate, I suppose I can sympathize with the battered woman and am not gonna be too torn up by a wife beater getting smoke checked.
That said, the law is the law. There must be an imminent threat in my opinion, for it to be self defense.