NCJ Number
77569
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Following a review of the literature on victim reactions to various traumas, this paper analyzes questionnaires completed by 400 battered women and concludes that their reactions after an attack were similar to the reactions of other victims of trauma.
Abstract
Research on victims of disasters, imprisonment, and crime indicates that such individuals focus on self-protection and survival during the initial impact and exhibit high levels of fear, anxiety, and shock rather than anger and hostility. Apathy and depression are common reactions following a trauma, as well as a tendency to withdraw from reality. Reactions of battered women to the battering incident were surveyed through a 200-page questionnaire administered in a personal interview and psychological tests. The 400 participants were recruited through public announcements and human service agencies in Colorado, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota and varied in age, ethnic and racial backgrounds, education, and socioeconomic levels. Their responses appeared to be fairly consistent with those of other types of victims. Approximately 60 percent felt that they could not control the batterer or his behavior and concentrated instead on protecting themselves during the attack. High levels of fear and depression were reported after the battering incidents, but approximately 46 percent also expressed considerable anger. With the exception of shock, the intensity of the women's emotions increased from the first to the third battering incident. Another victim pattern followed by battered women was the tendency to withdraw immediately after the incident rather than to escape or seek help. Responses to questions regarding feelings of guilt or blame were inconsistent in that 58 percent reported feeling guilt and shame after the first battering, while 81 percent stated that the attack was mostly the batterer's fault. Tables summarizing the response data and 28 references are provided.