BATTERED WOMAN SYNDROME (BWS) AND LEARNED HELPLESSNESS Flashcards
(10 cards)
Battered Women Syndrome (BWS)
Battered Women Syndrome (BWS) is a psychological condition that develops in women who have experienced prolonged and repeated domestic violence. It is characterised by severe psychological trauma, leading to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and learned helplessness. The syndrome was first introduced by Lenore Walker (1978) and has since been widely studied in the context of domestic abuse and its psychological consequences. BWS is often used as a legal defence in cases where battered women kill or seriously injure their abuser, as the effects of long-term abuse influence their perception of imminent danger and self-defence.
One of the key psychological mechanisms underlying BWS is learned helplessness
One of the key psychological mechanisms underlying BWS is learned helplessness, a condition where victims believe they have no control over their situation due to continuous exposure to inescapable violence. This belief often prevents them from seeking help, escaping the relationship, or defending themselves effectively.
BWS is not classified as a standalone disorder in major psychiatric diagnostic manuals such as DSM-5 or ICD-11. However, it is widely associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Traumatic Stress Disorder, as victims often experience severe emotional distress, cognitive distortions, and dissociation.
III. PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BWS
Walker (2017) identified seven psychological symptoms common among women suffering from BWS:
1. Re-experiencing trauma – Victims frequently relive their abuse through flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts. These traumatic memories cause extreme distress and fear, reinforcing their perception that violence is inescapable.
2. High levels of arousal and anxiety – Women with BWS often experience hypervigilance, always anticipating the next violent episode. This state of heightened alertness leads to chronic stress, sleep disturbances, and difficulty concentrating.
3. Emotional numbness and avoidance – To cope with repeated trauma, victims may emotionally shut down, avoiding thoughts or discussions about their abuse. This often results in social withdrawal and detachment from others.
4. Cognitive impairments – Women suffering from BWS struggle with memory loss, confusion, and difficulty making decisions. They may develop irrational beliefs, such as thinking they deserve the abuse or that they are incapable of leaving the relationship.
5. Disruptions in interpersonal relationships – Due to prolonged trauma, battered women lose trust in others, making it difficult to form healthy relationships. They often feel isolated, ashamed, and disconnected from family and friends.
6. Physical health problems – Chronic stress and physical abuse lead to numerous health issues, including headaches, digestive problems, chronic pain, and weakened immune function.
7. Sexual and intimacy issues – Many battered women fear intimacy due to past sexual abuse or coercion. They may experience sexual dysfunction, flashbacks during intimacy, or avoidance of sexual relationships altogether.
Martin Seligman
Learned helplessness is a psychological condition where individuals develop a sense of powerlessness after repeated exposure to uncontrollable negative events. This concept was first introduced by Martin Seligman (1975) through experiments with animals, showing that when individuals are subjected to prolonged adversity without escape, they stop trying to change their situation even when opportunities for escape arise.
In the context of Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS), learned helplessness helps explain why many women remain in abusive relationships despite available options to leave or seek help. Due to continuous exposure to violence, intimidation, and manipulation, victims develop passivity, self-doubt, and emotional paralysis, making it difficult for them to act against their abuser. Over time, this psychological state reinforces the cycle of abuse, making the victim believe that no effort can improve her situation.
[i] THE PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISM OF LEARNED HELPLESSNESS
Learned helplessness develops gradually as a result of continuous exposure to abuse and failed attempts to escape. The psychological mechanism behind this condition involves three key stages:
- Repeated Exposure to Trauma and Abuse: The woman experiences frequent physical, emotional, or psychological violence from her abuser. She initially tries to resist, fight back, or escape, but her efforts fail due to the abuser’s control, threats, or manipulation. Over time, she realises that no action leads to a successful escape, reinforcing her belief that she is trapped.
- Cognitive and Emotional Breakdown: After multiple failed attempts to stop the abuse, the woman starts to doubt her ability to change her circumstances. She develops self-blame, believing that she is somehow responsible for the abuse. Her self-esteem erodes, and she becomes increasingly anxious, fearful, and emotionally numb.
- Passivity and Resignation: Eventually, the woman stops trying to escape or seek help, believing that nothing will change. She becomes completely submissive, avoiding actions that might provoke the abuser. Even when opportunities to leave arise, she feels too powerless, dependent, or afraid to act.
At this stage, the woman’s learned helplessness reinforces the cycle of abuse, making her psychologically and emotionally incapable of resisting further violence.
a. ISOLATION AND CONTROL
One of the most effective ways abusers keep their victims trapped is by cutting them off from outside support. By isolating the victim, the abuser ensures that she has no resources, financial independence, or emotional support to help her leave. Common tactics include:
- Preventing the victim from working, studying, or having an independent income. Financial dependency makes it extremely difficult for women to leave, as they may have no means of survival outside the relationship.
- Limiting access to transportation, communication, or social activities. Abusers may take away phones, control internet access, or prevent victims from visiting family and friends.
- Spreading lies or rumours to damage the victim’s relationships with others. Some abusers manipulate friends and family into turning against the victim, further deepening her isolation.
b. INTIMIDATION AND FEAR TACTICS
Fear is one of the primary weapons used by abusers to keep victims trapped in learned helplessness. Many battered women stay in abusive relationships not because they do not want to leave, but because they fear the consequences of trying to escape. Abusers instil fear through:
- Threats of violence if the victim attempts to leave. The victim believes that any attempt to escape will result in severe punishment or even death.
- Threats to harm children, pets, or family members. Many women stay to protect their loved ones, fearing that leaving will put them in greater danger.
- Destroying the victim’s sense of security, making her feel that nowhere is safe. Even if she escapes, the abuser may stalk, harass, or track her down, reinforcing the belief that she will never be free.
This constant state of fear ensures that the victim remains submissive and compliant, even when opportunities to leave arise.
c. GASLIGHTING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL MANIPULATION
Gaslighting is a psychological manipulation tactic used by abusers to make the victim doubt her reality, perceptions, and experiences. This form of emotional abuse is extremely damaging, as it weakens the victim’s confidence and makes her dependent on the abuser for validation. Common gaslighting tactics include:
- Telling the victim she is “crazy” or “overreacting,” making her question her judgment. This causes self-doubt, leading the victim to rely on the abuser’s version of reality.
- Convincing her that she is to blame for the abuse. The abuser shifts responsibility by making her believe that she provokes the violence.
- Alternating between violence and affection, creating confusion and false hope. This cycle of abuse and reconciliation keeps the victim emotionally attached, making her believe that the abuser can change.
By eroding the victim’s sense of reality, gaslighting makes it significantly harder for her to recognise the abuse and seek help, reinforcing learned helplessness.
[i] BWS AS A LEGAL DÉFENSE
In cases where a battered woman kills her abuser, courts have debated whether self-defence can be applied, particularly when the act was not committed during an immediate attack. Traditional self-defence laws require the presence of an immediate or imminent threat, meaning the woman must be in direct physical danger the moment she uses force. However, this requirement fails to account for the continuous threat and psychological terror that battered women endure.
Historically, legal systems were reluctant to recognise BWS as a valid defence, often treating battered women who killed their abuser as premeditated murderers rather than victims acting out of self-preservation. Many courts viewed these cases through a strict lens of legal definitions, disregarding the unique psychological state of battered women who perceive their abuser as a constant and unavoidable danger.
[ii] LANDMARK LEGAL CASES AND PROGRESS
Legal recognition of Battered Woman Syndrome as a defence has evolved, largely due to landmark cases that highlighted the limitations of traditional self-defence laws. Two important cases that shaped legal precedent include:
- R v Ahluwalia (1992): This case involved a woman, Kiranjit Ahluwalia, who endured years of extreme physical and emotional abuse from her husband. One night, after he threatened to burn her face with an iron, she set him on fire while he was asleep, leading to his death. Initially convicted of murder, her appeal introduced BWS as a defence, leading to her conviction being reduced to manslaughter based on diminished responsibility. The case played a key role in expanding the legal understanding of how prolonged abuse affects a woman’s perception of imminent danger.
- R v Falconer (1990): This Australian case involved a woman who killed her husband after enduring years of sexual and physical abuse. She acted during a dissociative state, which the court later recognised as a result of severe psychological trauma. The ruling established that long-term abuse could be considered a factor in evaluating a woman’s mental state at the time of the crime.
These cases demonstrated that self-defence could not be assessed solely based on immediate physical threats. Courts began acknowledging that prolonged abuse alters a victim’s psychological perception, making them feel constantly under threat, even when their abuser was not actively attacking them at the moment.
