Forensic Psychology of Spousal Violence - Chapter 4: The Consequences of Spousal Violence

Spousal violence carries within itself a set of consequences that go beyond bruises, hematomas or other physical injuries. However, very little attention has been given to the psychological impact of spousal violence due to a generated common idea that violence is only serious when it leaves bruises or exposed fractures. Psychological science has been trying to emphasize the impact that violence represents in terms of mood, anxiety and even posttraumatic stress. This chapter will also dedicate some of its attention to two widely spread topics in literature, even though they do not gather a consensus, namely the concepts of battered woman syndrome and cycles of violence, despite its pedagogical utility for understanding and explaining spousal violence.