Helplessness (Domestic Violence)

Domestic violence is a social problem of epidemic proportions in the United States. This is evident by the fact that it is estimated that anywhere between two to four million women are battered each year. Often, the battering results in severe physical injury requiring hospitalization and emergency care (NOW, para 2). The magnitude of the problem has led to societal help and interventional measures being made available to help women who are victimized by domestic violence. Yet, there are many women who choose to stay in abusive relationships primarily due to a psychological condition, which is termed as the "battered woman syndrome." Viewed as a subcategory of post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), the "battered woman syndrome" hypothesizes that the ongoing trauma suffered by battered women leads to development of coping mechanisms, which make her unable to predict the results of her actions, and so, she acts in...
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