BATTERED WO M A N SYNDROME BY: RUBY MAYAGOITIA WHAT IS BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME? • Battered woman syndrome (BWS) is a psychological condition which describes a pattern of behavior that develops in victims of domestic violence as a result of serious, long-term abuse. • According to the CDC the types of abuse in battered woman syndrome are sexual, stalking, physical and psychological aggression. STATISTICS • 1 in 7 women and have been injured by an intimate partner. • 1 in 10 women have been raped by an intimate partner. • 1 in 4 women have been victims of severe physical violence (beating, burning, strangling) by an intimate partner in their lifetime. SOCIAL SCIENCE / 4 STAGES • Denial: The woman is unable to accept that she’s being abused. • Guilt: She believes that she has caused the abuse. • Enlightenment: In this phase, she realizes that she didn’t deserve the abuse and that her partner has an abusive personality. • Responsibility: She accepts that only the abuser holds responsibility. (this is when she tries to escape the relationship) ABUSE EXPERIENCE CAN LEAD TO… • Lowered self-esteem • Depression • Long-term symptoms of PTSD • Long-term disability or health problems related to physical abuse • Feelings of guilt and shame (feeling worthless or hopeless) • Damaged relationships with friends and family HARD SCIENCE • Problems with memory and vision, fatigue, headaches, and migraines; • Sexual dysfunction, including lost libido and infertility. • Sensitivity to light, sound, and motion; • Emotional swings, from depression to euphoria, from attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to explosive anger. • Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or an inability to stay awake for more than a few hours. • Slowed thoughts, word recall, and reaction times; and • Loss of skills, including the ability to read, learn, recognize faces, and organize everyday tasks like shopping and cooking. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS • Include a class in school to educate everyone about the signs of abuse and the effects it could lead to. (for both men and woman) • Bring awareness in workplaces, schools • Pay attention to the signs: • Wears long sleeve shirts because of bruising • Depression/ severe anxiety/ stress/ chronic back pain • Risk of diabetes / high blood pressure SOURCES • "Battered Woman Syndrome." FindLaw, 2019, family.findlaw.com/domestic-violence/battered-women-s- syndrome.html. Accessed 27 Sept. 2020. • Blakemore, Erin. "Francine Hughes Killed Her Abusive Husband-And Changed U.S. Views on Domestic Violence." History.com, 21 Mar. 2019, www.history.com/news/burning-bed-syndrome-francine-hughes- domestic-abuse. Accessed 27 Sept. 2020. • Brazier, Yvette. "Traumatic brain injury: Causes, symptoms, and diagnosis." Medical News Today, 22 Jan. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179837.php. Accessed 27 Sept. 2020. • "Domestic Abuse and Brain Injury in Women." NWHN, 9 May 2018, www.nwhn.org/domestic-abuse-brain- injury-women/. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020. • Frost, Natasha. "Lorena Bobbitt's 12-Inch Knife Changed Awareness About Spousal Abuse." History.com, 14 June 2018, www.history.com/news/lorena-bobbitt-case-cut-husband-john-bobbitt-spousal-abuse. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020. • Villines, Zawn. "Battered woman syndrome: Definition, symptoms, and getting help." Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 3 Dec. 2018, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320747.php#what-is-it. Accessed 28 Sept. 2020. • Walker, Lenore E. "Battered Woman Syndrome." Psychiatric Times, 8 July 2009, www.psychiatrictimes.com/trauma-and-violence/battered-woman-syndrome. Accessed 29 Sept. 2020. • Dastagir, Alia E. "What if Lorena Bobbitt were on trial now? How perception of abuse has (or hasn't) changed." USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 20 Feb. 2019, www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2019/02/14/lorena-bobbitt-john-bobbitt-domestic-violence- abuse-metoo-media-marital-rape/2816823002/. Accessed 29 Sept. 2020..