Psychology: The Battered Wife Syndrome, A Mental Disorder

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Hello again, today i am writing something that is very relevant and rampant cases of today's generation. My article will discuss this syndrome , the psychological stages and the consequences of being battered. Violence against women and children has been very alarming lately. This why several laws has been made to protect their rights.

I decided to post this because of the recent event, which involved a closed friend of mine who has been physically abused by his husband for more than a year now. I can't really expressed what i am feeling upon seeing her.

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There are many cases where self- defense has been used as a plea where the victim felt they were in harms’ way or unable to escape a specific situation that ended badly. The definition for self- defense is:
1.Defense of oneself when physically attacked
2.Defense of what belongs to oneself, as ones work or reputation 3. (Law) the right to protect oneself against violence or threatened violence with whatever force or means reasonable or necessary.

What do you mean by Battered

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According to Cambridge online Dictionary,
battered adjective (HIT)
​

• hurt by being repeatedly hit:
• damaged, especially by being used a lot

According to Dr. Lenore E. Walker, a woman must experience two cycles, before she can be labeled a “battered woman”. The two cycles are called the “cycle of violence”. This cycle leads to the feeling that the abuse will never stop.

The Battered Wife Syndrome

Are you familiar with this? Maybe some of us heard this but not really acquainted with its definition, right? According to Family find law, Battered woman syndrome (BWS) is a mental disorder that develops in victims of domestic violence as a result of serious, long-term abuse. BWS is dangerous primarily because it can lead to what some scholars say is "learned helplessness" – or psychological paralysis – where the victim becomes so depressed, defeated, and passive that she believes she is incapable of leaving the abusive situation. Though it may seem like an irrational fear, it feels absolutely real to the victim. Feeling fearful and weak, and sometimes even still holding onto the hope that her abuser will stop hurting her, the victim remains with her abuser, continuing the cycle of domestic violence and strengthening her existing BWS.

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According to several sources and psychology book, battered woman syndrome is recognized by many states as a legitimate mental disorder, and there are support systems available to women who suffer from a situation of domestic violence and BWS. It’s worth noting, also, that the laws of many states account for violent outbursts by BWS victims. If you or someone you know is afraid of coming forward to authorities because of an injury to the abuser, there may be ways to avoid punishment.

Stages of Battered Wife Syndrome

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According to Mariage.law these are the following psychological stages of Battered wife syndrome.
1.Denial

The first stage of battered women's syndrome is denial. Denial occurs when a victim of abuse is unable to admit and acknowledge that they are being subjected to domestic violence. During this stage, a victim of intimate partner abuse will not only avoid admitting the abuse to their friends and their family members, but they themselves will not acknowledge the brutality that they are suffering from. They will fail to recognize that there are any problems between themselves and their partner. There are multiple factors of this

2.Guilt

After an individual experiences the denial phase they will move on the the guilt stage. During this phase of the battered women's syndrome, victims of domestic violence will experience feelings of extreme guilt and disgrace. They will believe that they have caused the abuse that the perpetrator has subjected them to. In many cases, the offender will convince their victim that they are forced to resort to physical violence in order to punish the victim for their negative characteristics. They may use brutality to teach their victim not to take part in behaviors that they disapprove of that may contribute to a victim's unwavering denial.

3.Enlightenment

One of the most important phases of the battered women's syndrome is enlightenment. This occurs when a victim of abuse recognizes that they are not to blame for the abuse that they are experiencing. They will begin to understand that no one deserves to be subjected to domestic violence no matter what characteristics they posses. The fact that an offender does not approve of their victim's behavior does not justify subjecting the victim to abuse and violence.

4.Responsibility

Once a victim of abuse recognizes that the domestic violence they are suffering from is the fault of their abuser, it is only a matter of time before these victims understand the importance of escaping their current environment. In the majority of cases, domestic violence does not improve over time. Most individuals who subject their partners to violence and brutality are repeat offenders and they will continue to expose their victim to intimate partner abuse. When an individual acknowledges this, they will understand that their safety, and the safety of their children, depends on leaving their abusive relationship. During the responsibility stage of the battered women's syndrome, an victim of domestic violence may experience a vast array of difficulties.

What are the impacts of this Mental disorder?

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Experiencing being battered or abused have great impact as well-being psychologically, socially and emotionally. This abuse brought nothing but damaged to one person and it has a short effect but the terrifying part is the long run effect. Here are some...

• Become violent themselves in response to threats (in public or at home)
• Attempt suicide
• Use drugs and abuse alcohol
• Develop eating disorders
• Abuse themselves (i.e. cutting)
• Anxiety and depression
• Poor social skills
• Enter into an abusive relationship later on
  
  
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Although several laws and orders have been passed that caters and protect the rights of women's and children, still large number of abuses still happened. Majority of these cases where not reported though.
This is one of them

Many women identify the emotional and psychological consequences of abuse as more damaging than the physical assaults. While emotional abuse can occur in the absence of physical abuse, the two often occur together, with the rising cases of women diagnosed with Battered Wife syndrome, this is something everyone should be vigilant for.It can happen to anyone your mother, sister or you.

Don't delay in getting help for yourself and for your children.
Thank you so much I hope you learn something out of this article

Sources and References
1.Walker, L.(2009) Battered Woman.Retrieved on May 14,2018 from http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/trauma-and-violence/battered-woman-syndrome/page/0/1
2.Gluck, S.(2013)EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC ABUSE ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN.Retrieved on May 14, 2018 from https://www.healthyplace.com/abuse/domestic-violence/effects-of-domestic-violence-domestic-abuse-on-women-and-children
3.AngerManagementResource(2017)Battered Wife Syndrome, Doesn't Have To Be A Dead End Street. Retrieved on May 14, 2018 from https://www.angermanagementresource.com/
4.Marriage.law.com(2016) The 4 Stages of Battered Woman’s Syndrome.Retrieved on May 14, 2018 from https://marriage.laws.com/domestic-violence/battered-person-syndrome/stages-of-battered-womens-syndrome/stages-of-battered-womans-syndrome
5.McMahon, M. (1999) "Battered women and bad science: the limited validity and utility of battered woman syndrome". Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, Vol. 6(1): pp 23–49

Video
1.1MicroProduction(2015)Domestic Abuse. Retrieved on May 14, 2018 from http://youtube.com