Reformulating the Use of Battered Woman Syndrome Testimonies in Canadian Law Implications for Social Work Practice

This article examines the use of battered woman syndrome (BWS) expert testimonies in Canadian case law, regarding cases involving murder or attempted murder of abusive partners by women in violent intimate relationships. The purpose of this article is to contribute to literature about the use of BWS...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAffilia Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 24 - 36
Main Author Ono, Erika
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.02.2017
Subjects
gender-based violence
battered woman syndrome
social work practice
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Summary:This article examines the use of battered woman syndrome (BWS) expert testimonies in Canadian case law, regarding cases involving murder or attempted murder of abusive partners by women in violent intimate relationships. The purpose of this article is to contribute to literature about the use of BWS evidence in Canadian jurisprudence with connections to social work. The author provides a historical overview of the use of BWS testimonies in Canada and presents case examples. The article explores the benefits of BWS testimonies, its limitations, recommendations for reformulating its use, and implications for social work practice.
ISSN:0886-1099
1552-3020
DOI:10.1177/0886109916679862