Battered Wife Syndrome, Essay Example

“A general term for a constellation of signs and symptoms that are typical of a woman (wife/common-law partner/girlfriend) who is physically abused by a husband/common-law partner/boyfriend” (Medical Dictionary, 2011). The physical and psychological abuse towards the woman can be used in court as a battered wife defensewhen the wife is accused of assault or murder as a result of the abuse by her spouse. Symptoms of battered wife syndrome can include headaches, insomnia and abdominal pain; however, since this type abuse occurs when the woman is still with her husband, identifying the symptoms can be difficult to do (Swanson, 1984).As a result, using battered wife syndrome as a legal defense can be a controversial justification in a court of law, primarily when the woman uses insanity or temporary insanity as a defense.

“Battered women suffer from “learnedhelplessness,” as a result of which “it becomes extraordinarily difficult for suchwomen to change their cognitive set to believe their competent actions can changetheir life situation” (Krause, 2007). Krause makes a valid point regarding the mental capacity of the abused wife. The battered wife often feels dominated by the husband and unable to take control of her own life. The battered wife can suffer temporary insanity as a result of the psychological abuse. During this time, as a means of self-perseverance, the battered woman can view her only option as assault against her abuse or even death. From the abused wife’s perspective, sometimes death is the only means of permanently eliminating the problem. For example, the movie “The Burning Bed” starring Farrah Fawcett was about a wife who had suffered thirteen years of physical and mental abuse from her husband. The movie was based on the true story of Francine Hughes who set her husband’s bed on fire while he slept. Francine Hughes was found not guilty (Cook, 2009).The 1984 movie played a pivotal role in increasing awareness about battered wife syndrome.

References

Cook, J. (2009). Wife May Claim Battered Spouse Syndrome. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from web: http://www.macombdaily.com/articles/2009/01/26/news/srv0000004569847.txt

Krause, J. (2007). Distorted Reflections of Battered Women Who Kill: A Response to Professor Dressler. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from web: http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/osjcl/Articles/Volume4_2/Krause-PDF-03-11-07.pdf

Medical Dictionary. (2011). Battered Wife Syndrome. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from web: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Battered+Wife+Syndrome

Swanson, R. (1984). Battered Wife Syndrome. Retrieved August 8, 2011 from web:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1875950/pdf/canmedaj01411-0057.pdf