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The Effects of Battering on Battered Women

The Lake County Crisis Center in Michigan reports that a woman is assaulted by her spouse approximately every nine seconds in the United States and that as many as 24.6 million American women suffer some form of abuse. The women who are abused do not escape from the abuse unscathed; the impacts of abuse reach into a woman's physical, psychological and social life. Recognizing the effects of battering is the first step in finding and stopping the abuse.

  1. Health Problems

    • Battered women suffer health problems such as cuts, bruises and broken bones. These are overt signs of battering that emergency room workers spot routinely. However, battered women also encounter inconspicuous physical signs of abuse, according to the Clark County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. For example, they may encounter problems such as hypertension and arthritis, conditions that are related to the immune system and that are impacted by stress. Doctors may be more likely to dismiss these signs of battering because they are symptomatic of many diseases.

    Psychological Problems

    • The Clark County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney asserts that battering has a psychological impact on women. Battered women face anxiety, fear and feelings of worthlessness and guilt. In particular, depression is a major problem. A study led by Sutherland, Bybee and Sullivan of the Michigan State University Department of Psychology found that women experience a decrease in these psychological issues after leaving a battering spouse.

    Job Discontinuity

    • Because of their injuries or relocation after leaving a battered spouse, battered women may have difficulty holding a job continuously, as asserted by the Clark County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney. They subsequently are more likely to experience financial difficulties. The inability to hold a job may worsen psychological symptoms of battering such as low self-esteem.

    Loss of Friends

    • Battered women can lose friends because their spouses become strict regarding what people they can see and when. They also can lose friends if the friends do not believe that the woman's spouse really is abusive. Lastly, battered women lose relationships when they leave their spouse and travel to a new location for safety. Battered women may feel isolated as a result.

    Drug and Alcohol Abuse

    • In order to deal with the negative feelings battering causes, battered women may turn to drugs and alcohol. Battered women also are at risk for other forms of self-injury such as eating disorders and cutting. Subsequently, they may need recovery programs or assistance in addition to traditional counseling and safety relocation.

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