The Battered Woman Syndrome Third Edition

"This is an excellent book, written by the foremost authority in the field. [It] is easy to read and does a nice job integrating theory and research." Score: 95, 4 stars --Doody's Walker's seminal, groundbreaking book The Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS) has forged new directions in the field of domestic violence for over 30 years. Now, the highly anticipated, third edition offers thoroughly updated and revised research on key topics, including posttraumatic stress disorder, learned helplessness or learned optimism, the cycle theory of violence, and much more. This third edition presents updated data generated from the newly modified Battered Woman Syndrome Questionnaire (BWSQ). With a new focus on culture and ethnicity, these data detail the experiences of foreign women who either live in their country of origin or the U.S. Like its popular predecessors, this new edition serves as a valuable resource for both professional counselors and students studying domestic violence. Discussions on the revised criteria for the BWS and PTSD: Posttraumatic stress and re-experiencing the trauma High levels of anxiety and arousal Emotional numbing, avoidance behaviors, and depression Disrupted interpersonal relationships Distorted body image and physical illnesses Sexual issues, including feelings of guilt, shame, and jealousy Key topics discussed: Attachment issues for battered women and the men who batter them Substance abuse and addiction Risk factors for further abuse Women in prison and battered women who kill their abusive partners in self-defense The Survivor Therapy Empowerment Program (STEP) which helps women better understand how the violence has impacted their lives

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In this latest edition of her groundbreaking book, Dr. Lenore Walker has provided a thorough update to her original findings in the field of domestic abuse. Each chapter has been expanded to include new research. The volume contains the latest on the impact of exposure to violence on children, marital rape, child abuse, personality characteristics of different types of batterers, new psychotherapy models for batterers and their victims, and more. Walker also speaks out on her involvement in the O.J. Simpson trial as a defense witness and how he does not fit the empirical data known for domestic violence. This volume should be required reading for all professionals in the field of domestic abuse. For Further Information, Please Click Here!

In this state-of-the-art treatment manual, Lenore E.A. Walker contends that traditional psychotherapies for trauma victims have been insufficient in treating abused women. As the problem of violence against women continues to plague society, cutting across all demographic sectors, Walker describes critical modifications to traditional practice that will allow practitioners to work more effectively with female victims of abuse. These modifications result in an integrated compilation of the most successful assessment and intervention strategies, called survivor therapy.

It continues to provide understanding and empathy regarding this complex issue and presents an integrated learning theory explanation of the conditioning that culminates in wife abuse, in the resulting state of the victim, and in the decision to stay with an abuser."--BOOK JACKET.

With its focus on the connection between health and mental health symptoms, this seminal, groundbreaking work continues to forge new directions in the field of domestic violence. Describing a condition that is the basis for the battered woman defense--cited in cases of physically and psychologically abused women who have killed their abusers--it continues to be used as a defense to explain premeditated assault or murder. Completely updated, the fourth edition reflects the significant changes in the field since the book was last published, incorporating Affordable Care Act (ACA) guidelines on health care and domestic violence and data from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. It examines new research regarding battered women and cross-cultural and cross-national issues, and includes several new chapters addressing issues ranging from murder--suicide in domestic violence cases to proposed legislation and congressional resolutions. The fourth edition provides new findings worldwide that reinforce the cycle theory of violence. It reflects new research on traumatic responses, and addresses trauma-informed and trauma-specific psychotherapy, interventions with youth in juvenile detention centers, information from government task forces regarding children exposed to violence and juvenile justice, and new findings regarding the application of psychology to the legal system. Entirely new to the fourth edition is a section about reforming family court and divorce presumptions. This is crucial reading for nearly all health and mental health workers who may be called upon to ask clients about experiences of domestic violence and must respond knowledgeably and effectively. New to the Fourth Edition: Fully revised and updated Incorporates ACA guidelines on health care and domestic violence Includes data from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Addresses findings regarding battered women and cross-cultural and cross-national issuesNew chapter on murder--suicide in domestic violence cases New chapter on trauma treatment for victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) New chapter on human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children New chapter on false confessions of battered women

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.