What is battered womens syndrome?

Question

We're discussing it in our Law class, but I thought I'd like a broader view of what it is.

Thanks guys :) Perfect answers.

Answer 1

It is a psychological condition, generally accepted a valid legal defense in some situations.

In a nutshell, it is a condition where a person (usually a woman) has been so emotional and physically battered, that they live in a constant state of fear of attack from the abuser.

That constant state of fear extends the normal limits of the self defense theory -- which normally only applies when violence is immediate. Under the battered syndrome, the constant state of fear allows the victim to act to defend themself at any time, based on their belief that violence can occur at any time.

Answer 2

To understand battered woman's syndrome, one must first understand how someone becomes a "battered woman". According to Dr. Lenore E. Walker, the nation's most prominent expert on battered women, a woman must experience at least two complete battering cycles before she can be labeled a "battered woman". The cycle has three distinct phases. First is the tension-building phase, followed by the explosion or acute battering incident, culminating in a calm, loving respite - often referred to as the honeymoon phase. Walker, L., The Battered Woman (1979).
It is also important to understand why battered women stay in abusive relationships. The Court in People v. Aris, 215 Cal App 3d 1194, 264 Cal Rptr 167, 178 (1989) stated that "battered women tend to stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons." Among those reasons: women are still positively reinforced during the honeymoon phase; women tend to be the peacekeepers in relationships - the ones responsible for making the marriage work; adverse economic consequences; it is more dangerous to leave than to stay; prior threats by batterer to kill self, or children; or to abscond with children; lost self-esteem; and no psychological energy to leave - resulting in a learned helplessness or psychological paralysis.
"Battered woman syndrome describes a pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms found in women living in battering relationships." There are four general characteristics of the syndrome:
1. The woman believes that the violence was her fault.
2. The woman has an inability to place the responsibility for the violence elsewhere.
3. The woman fears for her life and/or her children's lives.
4. The woman has an irrational belief that the abuser is omnipresent and omniscient.


A great way to get alot of info thats not just writin out, is call your local Domestic Violence Office. Most of the time people only search the net for there info. So its a great untapped resourse that you could use. Trust me when I say, they'll be happy to help you understand and answer any questions.

Good Luck

Answer 3

When a woman is pushed to the brink by an abusive partner and snaps. This could involve beating the abusive partner to a pulp to inadvertently killing them.

Answer 4

it a downward spiral in a relationship where a woman is being abused or mistreated, and she continues to leave herself in the situation, and actually protect her abuser

the way the psychology works is that she knows what to expect when her husband beats her, so she sets her self up for failure, so she can be beaten again, because its what she knows ... and often these women fear if they say anything their husbands may kill them