Dispelling the Myths About the Battered Woman\u27s Defense: Towards a New Understanding

This essay explores the growth of the use of self-defense by battered women from a historical perspective in order to explain the magnitude of the prejudices these defendants face. The essay suggests that a redefinition of Battered Woman\u27s Syndrome will ease much of the criticism from feminists and eliminate the confusion in the legal profession surrounding the use of self-defense by battered women. The essay also pushes for a redefinition of the concept of imminence to encompass the realities of a battered woman\u27s life