| As a psychologist, I'm often asked what is the | | | | victim assistance. |
| psychopathology of individuals in abusive relationships? | | | | And the diagnoses given are often a gross |
| The perpetrator's mental health status is usually more | | | | misrepresentation of many of these women's mental |
| self-evident, whereas the victims' mental health | | | | health. We see everything from substance-related |
| status is clouded with the psychosocial politics of | | | | disorders to anxiety disorders to mood disorders to |
| domestic violence combat. | | | | severe personality disorders. |
| Perpetrator Pathology | | | | Consequence of Improper Diagnoses of Battered |
| The perpetrator usually presents with any | | | | Women |
| combination of the following personality disorders: | | | | Giving these women fraudulent psychiatric labels has |
| narcissistic personality disorder, antisocial personality | | | | serious consequences for the long-term health of |
| disorder and borderline personality disorder, along with | | | | these individuals. Once improperly diagnosed, they shy |
| intermittent explosive disorder. | | | | away from mental health care and cut themselves |
| Victim Diagnosis | | | | off from resources that could very well benefit their |
| Pathology in a victim, on the other hand, is less clear, | | | | healing after the abusive relationship. |
| less accurate and more often than not, merely a | | | | It is understandable how psychology and psychiatry |
| diagnostic label given as part of domestic violence | | | | have become enemies of battered women. If you |
| combat. Often the diagnosis received by these | | | | are a domestic abuse survivor and a victim of the |
| women is nothing more than a psychological sword | | | | use of improper psychiatric diagnosis, seek to find a |
| delivered at the bequest of-and manipulation by-their | | | | professional with psychotherapeutic skills AND a |
| batterers. | | | | sound knowledge base in domestic violence as |
| It is estimated that 95% of all women going through | | | | represented by the battered women's movement. |
| the domestic violence shelter system will be given a | | | | This way you will get the best of both worlds, and |
| psychiatric diagnosis by the evaluating mental | | | | most likely insure both your overall safety and your |
| healthcare provider before they get out-that is, | | | | long-term sanity. |
| during their navigation through domestic violence | | | | |