Battered Woman Syndrome: 12 Signs and How to Cope

If you’re dealing with the psychological impacts of domestic violence, we’re here to help. Read on to learn 12 signs of battered woman syndrome, plus how to heal.

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If you’re currently in an unstable, toxic, or abusive relationship (or recently left one), you might find yourself struggling with feelings that are hard to explain to others — or even ones that are difficult to admit to yourself. 

The impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) run deeper than physical injuries. IPV can lead to many psychological effects, ranging from helplessness, self-doubt, low self-worth, and depression. This phenomenon in women is known as “battered woman syndrome.” Read on to learn more about battered woman syndrome, its symptoms, and how to cope with it.

What is battered woman syndrome?

“Battered woman syndrome describes the emotional and psychological impact that can develop when someone experiences repeated abuse in an intimate relationship,” says Na’Keora Bryant, LPC, Charlie Health Group Facilitator. Typically, it refers to intimate partner violence/domestic violence.

“It’s not just about the moments when harm happens — it’s about how ongoing cycles of fear, control, and manipulation can slowly wear down a person’s confidence, sense of safety, and belief in themselves,” she explains. 

BWS has profound effects on someone’s mental health, and without proper treatment and support, the effects can linger long-term.

There is also the term “battered person syndrome,” which is more inclusive and can refer to men or non-binary people who endure the same psychological consequences of domestic violence.

Is battered woman syndrome in the DSM-5?

Battered woman syndrome is not an officially recognized diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5). Rather, this “syndrome” describes the phenomenon that many survivors of intimate partner abuse experience. 

Signs of battered woman syndrome

Everyone is affected differently by domestic abuse. However, there are some key symptoms of BWS. 

1. Intrusive re-experiencing of the abuse

“Survivors may have flashbacks, nightmares, and persistent memories of violent incidents,” says Nicole Lonano, MS, a Group Facilitator at Charlie Health. “These intrusions occur even when the survivor is physically safe, because the nervous system remains in a trauma-response state.”

2. Hypervigilance

A survivor might constantly scan for danger, even in a safe environment, feeling on edge and unable to relax, Lonano says. “This develops because the survivor has learned that danger can occur unpredictably,” she adds. 

3. Learned helplessness

Lonano says a prolonged abusive relationship can lead to beliefs that:

• Escape is impossible
• Nothing the survivor does can change the outcome
• Pleasing or appeasing the abuser is the only way to stay safe

“This psychological state forms when repeated attempts to resist or escape are met with greater danger,” she says.

4. Emotional numbing

As a protective response to overwhelming fear, you might feel emotionally numb, says Lonano. This could include:

• Feeling like you’ve emotionally shut down
• Feeling detached from others
• Less ability to feel joy
  

5. Confusion and self-doubt

Survivors might second-guess their own memory, instincts, or judgment, Bryant says. “Often because of gaslighting or cycles of abuse followed by apologies or affection,” she adds. Over time, this can also make it difficult to distinguish between reality — what’s happening in the present — and past experiences, ultimately leading to confusion and self-doubt.

6. Minimizing

Survivors of domestic violence might minimize the extent of the abusive relationship as a coping mechanism to reduce the psychological discomfort of living in danger, says Lonano. For example, she says survivors might:

• Downplay the severity of abuse
• Rationalize the abuser’s behavior
• Take responsibility for triggering the violence

7. Dissociation

Dissociation is a common trauma response. It’s when the brain “turns off” in a way to protect you from trauma. You might check out mentally during abuse, feel detached from your body, or experience memory gaps surrounding your trauma, Bryant says. 

8. Shame and guilt

It’s very common for survivors of domestic violence to feel guilt or shame, even though the abuse is absolutely not their fault. Bryant says a survivor might:

• Feel responsible for the abuse
• Feel guilty for considering leaving the relationship
• Feel ashamed to tell friends or family what’s happening to them

9. Fear of retaliation

Survivors might fear their abuser hurting them even more. “This fear is often grounded in real threats or prior violent retaliation after attempts to leave or report,” Lonano says. They might be scared to leave, report the abuse, or seek help. 

10. Physical symptoms

The mind-body connection is strong, and often, chronic stress (such as that from an abusive situation) can result in physical symptoms. Lonano says these may include

• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Sleep disturbances
• Chronic pain

11. Trauma bonding

Trauma bonding is when you feel a very strong bond with your abuser.  “You may feel emotionally tied to the person causing harm, craving the ‘good moments,’ or feeling relief when the abuser is calm or affectionate,” Bryant says. 

Even though you know they’re abusive, when you have a trauma bond, you might even feel like you can’t live without the abusive partner, and fear them leaving you. 

12. Depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety are typical reactions to sustained trauma and fear, Lonano says. Related to depression, you might feel persistent sadness and hopelessness. For anxiety, you might be in a constant state of worry or experience panic attacks. 

How was battered woman syndrome coined?

Psychologist Dr. Lenore Walker coined the term “battered woman syndrome” in her 1979 book, “The Battered Woman.”

Dr. Walker developed this concept based on her research with survivors of domestic violence. She identified common psychological patterns that emerged from experiencing repeated cycles of abuse (a term she also coined in this book). Her work was groundbreaking in helping the psychology community understand the complex psychological effects of intimate partner violence. 

Battered woman syndrome defense 

Beyond psychology, Dr. Walker’s work was also groundbreaking in the legal community. 

In legal contexts, battered woman syndrome has been used as a defense strategy in criminal cases, particularly when survivors of domestic violence have harmed or killed their abusers.

Expert testimony in a case involving battered woman syndrome can explain the psychological state of the defendant and provide context for their behavior. While it’s controversial and not always accepted in every case, this defense has helped some survivors receive more appropriate legal outcomes that account for the psychological impact of prolonged abuse.

Stockholm syndrome vs battered woman syndrome

Both of these “syndromes” are psychological responses to traumatic situations involving captivity or control, but there are distinct differences.

“BWS is rooted in long-term intimate partner abuse with pre-existing emotional ties, whereas Stockholm Syndrome develops in extreme captivity where the victim forms a survival-based emotional bond with a captor who controls their life,” Lonano says.

The link between PTSD and battered woman syndrome

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a disorder caused by experiencing (or witnessing) a traumatic event or events. This includes various types of abuse, such as domestic violence, general physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse.

“Battered woman syndrome is closely linked to post-traumatic stress disorder,” Lonano says. “In fact, many researchers consider BWS to be a subtype or specialized presentation of PTSD that arises from prolonged intimate partner violence.” Research shows there is a heightened risk of developing PTSD as a survivor of intimate partner violence. 

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) is another possibility resulting from intimate partner violence. C-PTSD is linked to complex trauma, which is ongoing, repeated trauma that is difficult to escape from, which is common with this type of abuse. 

How battered woman syndrome affects future relationships

“Women who’ve survived long-term abuse often enter future relationships carrying the impact of what they endured — emotionally, neurologically, and relationally,” Bryant says. “This negatively affects the relationship in more ways than one, because safety is unfamiliar.”

Some of these effects include:

• Fear of vulnerability: “Opening up can feel dangerous, even when the relationship is safe,” says Bryant.
• Difficulty trusting others: Since a survivor’s trust was repeatedly violated, they have trouble trusting new partners, Bryant says. You might also be hypervigilant, always scanning for signs of anger or conflict, she adds.
• Confusion about what healthy love looks like: When all you know is toxicity in relationships, it can be hard to recognize healthy love. “Chaos may feel familiar, while calm may feel foreign or even uncomfortable,” says Bryant.
• Self-sabotaging: Those with BWS might purposely sabotage healthy relationships. Bryant says they may leave or pull back because the safety feels too good to be true. 

How to heal from battered woman syndrome 

Healing from BWS ideally involves a combination of treatments. “Coping with BWS isn’t about ‘getting over’ what happened — it’s about slowly retraining the mind, body, and spirit to feel safe again,” Bryant says. “Healing happens layer by layer, and every step forward is meaningful.”

Here are some of the best therapies for trauma to help you heal from battered woman syndrome.  

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

CBT is a popular form of talk therapy that helps identify and change negative thought patterns and beliefs. “It rewrites patterns and beliefs shaped by abuse, and teaches the brain a more balanced, empowering way of thinking.”

There is also an offshoot of CBT called trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT). Although the modality was originally designed for kids, it can be adapted for adults who are survivors of trauma. Lonano says TF-CBT can help survivors:

• Identify and challenge self-blaming thoughts, such as “It was my fault.”
• Reduce fear responses and hypervigilance
• Build healthier coping strategies
• Understand trauma triggers

2. Somatic therapy

Trauma is often stored in the body, and somatic therapy helps release this. “With somatic work, a client learns that safety exists again,” Bryant says. “Somatic approaches help survivors regulate anxiety, calm a hyperactive nervous system, reduce triggers, and reconnect with the body.”

3. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

This therapy, specifically developed for PTSD, helps you become desensitized to traumatic memories and change the way they’re stored in the brain. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (side-to-side) to engage both sides of your brain. This is often done through side-to-side eye movements. Your therapist may have you recall the traumatic events (such as specific incidents of domestic violence) while you follow their side-to-side hand movements with your eyes. 

4. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

DBT is a skills-based therapy that can help you cope with trauma. The main principles of DBT are:

• Mindfulness
• Distress tolerance
• Emotion regulation
• Interpersonal effectiveness

These skills help you cope with distress in a healthy way while also fostering healthier relationships. 

5. Prolonged exposure therapy (PE)

This specific form of exposure therapy for trauma helps you safely and gradually revisit traumatic memories. This can help you combat the avoidance that typically accompanies trauma, which ultimately fuels the cycle. By safely revisiting the triggers in therapy, you will start to become more desensitized to them.

Resources for survivors of intimate partner violence

If you are in immediate danger, reach out for help. You can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for trauma-informed care.

You can also contact them (via call, text, or online chat) at any time for support and information. They can help you create a safety plan, too. It’s always a good idea to reach out to a loved one — like a trusted family member or friend — for support.

How Charlie Health can help

If you’re a survivor of abuse hoping to heal, Charlie Health can help. Our virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides more than once-weekly mental health treatment for people dealing with mental health conditions—including those that can result from intimate partner violence, like PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Our compassionate, trauma-informed clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies (like CBT, DBT, and exposure therapy) into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With this kind of support, you can reclaim your self-worth, rebuild your sense of safety, and create healthier relationships moving forward. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start your healing journey today.