Battered Woman Syndrome Research Paper
Battered woman syndrome is a psychological disorder that develops in victims of domestic violence as a result of serious, long-term abuse. Women have no rational control and will kill or cause serious bodily harm in order to escape their abuser. Although the individuals in these situations are trying to protect themselves, they can still be charged with a criminal offense. Although some might oppose, Women should be able to use BWS as a plea when repeated abuse occurs within a relationship with a significant other that results in violence or worse death.
When women who have experienced multiple abuse patterns throughout their lives are placed in situations that are frightening, they are likely to have flashbacks that cause them to re-experience …show more content…
For some, it might be considered as a “get out of jail” free card for murder. Schuller (2002) conducted a study of 200 participants who participated and were presented with a homicide trial involving a battered woman who killed her husband. Her findings were that majority of participants believed the woman committed manslaughter rather than murder. After analyzing all the data and nullifying the hypothesis, it was proven that that the data did not support the hypothesis. According to Schuller, “These findings lend some support to the concern that battered woman who have fought back or behaved aggressively towards their abusers’ violence will have difficulties convincing a jury that their actions were committed in self-defense” (p. 669). With all that being said, it has also been proven that using battered women syndrome as self-defense, is not always accepted or used as a justification for murder.
In order to succeed using the BWS defense, the victim must generally prove that there was real abuse and that she acted out violently because she believed that it was necessary for self-defense; or because she believed she was in imminent harm. Psychologist Dutton (1993) conducted his own study to prove battered women syndrome indeed has trauma symptoms that inter-correlate significantly to form this syndrome that lasts up to six months. Dutton’s (1993) study found the
When women who have experienced multiple abuse patterns throughout their lives are placed in situations that are frightening, they are likely to have flashbacks that cause them to re-experience …show more content…
For some, it might be considered as a “get out of jail” free card for murder. Schuller (2002) conducted a study of 200 participants who participated and were presented with a homicide trial involving a battered woman who killed her husband. Her findings were that majority of participants believed the woman committed manslaughter rather than murder. After analyzing all the data and nullifying the hypothesis, it was proven that that the data did not support the hypothesis. According to Schuller, “These findings lend some support to the concern that battered woman who have fought back or behaved aggressively towards their abusers’ violence will have difficulties convincing a jury that their actions were committed in self-defense” (p. 669). With all that being said, it has also been proven that using battered women syndrome as self-defense, is not always accepted or used as a justification for murder.
In order to succeed using the BWS defense, the victim must generally prove that there was real abuse and that she acted out violently because she believed that it was necessary for self-defense; or because she believed she was in imminent harm. Psychologist Dutton (1993) conducted his own study to prove battered women syndrome indeed has trauma symptoms that inter-correlate significantly to form this syndrome that lasts up to six months. Dutton’s (1993) study found the