What Causes Battered Woman Syndrome?
Domestic violence is the root cause of battered woman syndrome. Although it can occur between intimate partners, “domestic abuse” is a catch-all word that can also refer to mistreatment of children and the elderly.
Domestic violence between intimate partners frequently occurs in cycles:
- The abuser will win over a new partner, frequently entering a relationship rapidly using strategies like “love bombing,” extravagant romantic gestures, and early commitment pressure.
- The abuser will hurt you either physically or mentally. This frequently begins innocuously, perhaps with a slap rather than a punch or a hit to the wall next to their partner.
- In an effort to win back their lover, the abuser would be extremely amorous while feeling awful and claiming they won’t do it again.
- There will be a brief “honeymoon” period during which the abuser will put up a good show, fooling their partner into believing that they are safe and that things will actually change.
Abuse takes place, restarting the cycle.
There are several reasons why people end up in abusive relationships, some of which include:
- financial reliance on the abuser, which they frequently create
- desire to have a full family for the benefit of their kids
- being reluctant to depart
- refusal to accept or deny that the partner is truly abusive
- severe despair or low self-esteem [2] that leads them to believe they are to blame for the abuse
- believing that they can change their conduct if the abuser loves them, then it’s okay