Is there anything you can do to help a loved one in an abusive situation?

I think this is something we all deal with at some point. You know someone, possibly someone very close to you, that is in a terrible situation.
Specifically, I am talking about violent physical abuse. I think it is very common for a victim to defend their abuser, but is there anything that can be done from the outside to break that cycle?

Or is this one of those situations where you have to just lend a shoulder and cross your fingers that the person sees what is wrong before it’s too late?