and its legitimacy in a court of law. Doctor Mary Anne Sutton said in her 1997 .
paper, "Battered Woman Syndrome language creates a stereotyped image of .
pathology ." . Dr. Sutton believes that a woman using this defence will make the .
judge or jury see her in two lights: 1) that the woman is insane, and 2) She is using .
her defence as a method to get away with murder. Dr. Hutton's view is .
unreasonable because the victim is psychologically exasperated as a result of the .
abuse she has experienced. This does not qualify her as "crazy". It has been proven .
that B.W.S. not only explains how a battered woman would think, react, or behave, .
but "it also places the behavior in an understandable light," says Judge Aaron .
Kelly. The woman has been a victim of mental and physical torture. If she is put in .
a dangerous situation again, P.T.S.D. would cause that woman to fight back and .
save herself, regardless of the consequences. This is not revenge, this is human .
instinct, and the natural response of a battered woman. The judge or jury must be .
able to understand these differences and recognize B.W.S. as a legitimate defence. .
There are four psychological stages of the Battered Women's Syndrome. The .
first stage is denial, in which the woman refuses to believe that there is a problem .
with her marriage, or that her husband is abusive. She will make excuses for each .
.
"accident" and convince herself that the abuse will never happen again. The second .
p.3.
stage is guilt. During this stage, the woman will finally realize there is a problem, .
but hold herself completely responsible. She feels she is not living up to her .
husband's expectations, and therefore "deserves" the abuse. The third stage, .
enlightenment, is that in which the victim lets go of her feelings of guilt and .
.
responsibility understands that in no way does she deserve to be abused. Though, .
she still clings to the illusion that she and her abuser can overcome the problems in .
