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Posttraumatic stress disorder among battered women: Analysis of legal implications
Author(s) -
Dutton Mary Ann,
Goodman Lisa A.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2370120303
Subject(s) - posttraumatic stress , context (archaeology) , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , suicide prevention , injury prevention , psychology , domestic violence , relevance (law) , occupational safety and health , sexual violence , psychiatry , clinical psychology , sexual assault , medicine , medical emergency , criminology , paleontology , pathology , political science , law , biology
The diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has recently been applied to the psychological experiences of victims of intimate violence, including physical and sexual assault. The use of trauma theory to explain battered women's responses to violence has laid a foundation for expert testimony on PTSD, where relevant, within more general testimony concerning partner violence. This article discusses the relevance of the PTSD diagnosis within the legal context for explaining battered women's responses to violence.