Battered Woman Syndrome as a Legal Defense

Book excerpt: The use of the battered woman syndrome defense in the courts is controversial, particularly when women turn to homicide in response to a partner's abuse. Scholars worry that the syndrome has created a standard to which all battered women are compared. This book provides a comprehensive examination of the evolution of the syndrome, its effectiveness in court, and the contributions made by psychologists and legal scholars to aid our understanding of the use of battered woman syndrome evidence in trials of abused women who kill. Of particular interest is the influence of history, gender roles, and stereotypes in the evaluation of defendants who claim to suffer from the syndrome.