Traumatic responses among battered women who kill.

Abstract

This study compared levels of violence, social support, and post-traumatic stress between battered women charged with a violent crime against an abusive partner and those seeking help from a mental health clinic. Results indicated that forensic battered women were more likely than clinical battered women to report experiencing severe violence, including sexual abuse, in their relationships. Women in the forensic sample also reported less social support and greater post-traumatic stress than women in the clinical sample. However, when social support and level of violence were accounted for, levels of general post-traumatic stress indicators (MMPI-PTSD, CR-PTSD, GSI) were no longer different between groups, although levels of specific post-traumatic stress indicators (intrusion, avoidance) remained higher for battered women in the forensic sample. Implications for understanding battered women's response to violence and their post-traumatic reactions to it are discussed.