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Abstract: 

Battered woman syndrome has long been recognized as the cause—at least in some rare cases—of what appears to be impaired driving. Women who have been abused by a batterer repeatedly over an extended period of time may develop the syndrome, which is now a diagnosable mental health problem found in the DSM-IV as a subcategory of post-traumatic stress disorder, which cautions, “Although not all battered women meet all the DSM-IV-TR criteria for PTSD, a sufficient number do; thus, a form of trauma treatment is most helpful.” The article below provides a history of BWS, explains its origins, and provides valuable insights into the way partner abuse is perceived in a courtroom setting, including hearings related to impaired driving.

Keywords: BWS; Violence Against Women;

Affiliations:  1: John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York.