Domestic violence and the politics of trauma

Abstract

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has had a chequered history in relation to gender-based violence and specifically domestic violence. There is evidence that a significant proportion of women who are abused suffer from PTSD. However, there remains a controversy about whether this is a useful and progressive concept on which to base intervention. Mainstream mental health services in the UK have shown little 'take up,' while women's services supporting survivors also remain ambivalent, although for different reasons. Clinical psychology has been where the concept has been embraced. This paper highlights aspects of Judith Herman's (Herman, Judith (1992). Trauma and recovery. New York: Basic ..