Battered women: dilemmas and care

Domestic violence is a complex problem, and its victims are women from all social classes and positions. The "cycle of beating" where tension accumulates, and then assault is followed by excuses and reconciliation, puts the battered women in dilemma. One conflict is that of exposure of intimate family details, and the other the guilt for the consequences of external intervention in family situations. The modern society has several tools to treat domestic violence and to assist battered wives. They include the police, legislation, courts and probation officers, besides shelters, legal aid and social services. Specific training of nursing and medical personnel is pivotal for the proper identification of women is such distress.