Abbe Smith

Battered woman syndrome is the psychological state suffered by women who fear they will be killed by their abusive spouses if they try to leave the relationship. Many psychologists and legal experts claim that women who kill their abusive husbands suffer from battered woman syndrome and see murder as the only option available to them. In the following viewpoint, criminal defense lawyer Abbe Smith argues that battered woman syndrome is a valid defense in criminal cases involving abused women who have killed their male partners. In her opinion, female murder defendants suffering from this syndrome should receive the same kind of consideration given to men who kill in self-defense.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. In Smith’s opinion, what presumption does society impose on battered women?
2. According to the author, on what...