Battered Woman Syndrome

The third edition of the Woman integrates new research findings about the Battered Woman Syndrome and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder together with the findings from thirty years ago when Walker first proposed such a syndrome. Six criteria have been found to constitute the Battered Woman Syndrome. These include the three groups of symptoms found in all who have developed PTSD such as reexperiencing the trauma, high levels of anxiety and arousal, and high levels of avoidance behaviors through depression, denial and minimization of the harm women are exposed to. The next three groups are specific to battered women. These include disrupted interpersonal relationships because of the isolation, power and control by…