Battered women, psychology, and public policy

Reviews the role that psychologists have played in affecting changes in public policy regarding domestic violence over the past decade. Testimony by expert witnesses has rebutted myths that prevented battered women who killed their abusers from receiving fair trials. Three case vignettes are present...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American psychologist 1984-10, Vol.39 (10), p.1178-1182
Main Author: Walker, Lenore A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjudication
Domestic Violence
Expert Testimony
Female
Government Policy Making
Homicide
Human
Humans
Legal Testimony
Male
Psychology
Public Policy
Spouse Abuse - legislation & jurisprudence
United States
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Summary:Reviews the role that psychologists have played in affecting changes in public policy regarding domestic violence over the past decade. Testimony by expert witnesses has rebutted myths that prevented battered women who killed their abusers from receiving fair trials. Three case vignettes are presented to illustrate how psychological knowledge has helped the judicial system to develop public policy. Because organized psychology has submitted amicus curiae briefs in this area, appellate court cases now usually support the admissibility of a psychologist's testimony as to the battered woman's perception of danger and the reasonableness of her perception of the need for self-defense. The public impact of high-visibility battered women cases is discussed. (28 ref)
ISSN:0003-066X
1935-990X
DOI:10.1037/0003-066X.39.10.1178