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battered woman syndrome |
Also found in: Medical, Wikipedia | 0.09 sec. |
battered woman syndromePsychological and behavioral pattern displayed by female victims of domestic violence. Explanations that have evolved since the late 1970s include learned helplessness, a “cycle of violence” theory, and a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. The term is a legal concept rather than a psychiatric diagnosis and lacks clearly defined criteria. It has been used to support legal arguments of self-defense, diminished responsibility, or insanity when a woman is accused of murdering or assaulting her batterer, committing a crime under his coercion, or provoking the behaviour the batterer is on trial for. Critics say the term creates a stereotyped image inadequate to describe individual experiences. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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