According to the study, men were overall more likely to experience only emotional abuse than were women, while women experienced more power-and-control abuse along with other types of partner violence (Frieden pp). Furthermore, men who had experienced only verbal abuse were much more likely to carry a gun for protection than women in that category (Frieden pp). According to Ditter, results from other studies of emotional abuse also indicate that it can be very harmful (Frieden pp).
Investigators in one study found that all of the twenty-five emotional abuse subjects that were studied had three sequelae of "battered woman's syndrome" six months after leaving their partners, 'including trauma symptoms, low self-esteem, and a paradoxical attachment to the former partner," while another study revealed that the victims of even severe intimate partner violence reported psychological humiliation as their worst battering experience (Frieden pp).
A report from the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence and the Family cites the power differences between men and women as an important factor in understanding the psychology of abuse (Walker pp). Violence is a learned behavior by men who in turn use it to force...
Often women do not leave abusive relationships because leaving does not necessarily stop the violence, since most men who batter women will continue to stalk and harass their victims even after the women leave, or demand custody of the child or children as a way to retain power and control over the woman (Walker pp). In fact, her life may be in more danger after she leaves than while living with her abuser (Walker pp).
It is important to continue educating the public regarding violent relationships and the emotional and physical abuse battered women endure at the hands of intimate partners.
Works Cited
Walker, Lenore E.A. "Understanding battered woman syndrome."
Trial; 2/1/1995; pp.
Frieden, Joyce. "Emotional abuse may raise risk of mental illness."
Clinical Psychiatry News; 3/1/2005; pp.
Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS)
The Mosby Medical Encyclopedia; 10/1/1996; pp.
Orr, Douglas a. "Weiand v. State and battered spouse syndrome."
Florida Bar Journal; 6/1/2000; pp.
