Domestic Violence: Emotional Benefits to Prosecution

Abstract

The present study sought to determine the emotional benefits of prosecution for female adult victims of domestic violence, as measured through the State Trait Anger Expression Index (STAXI) and the Symptom Checklist (SCL). However, due to the fact that this study was only able to yield 17 participants results cannot be considered significant. Even with incentives, victim participation was very difficult to obtain. Results suggest that victims who do prosecute experience similar levels of anger and anger expression as those who do not prosecute. However, results have also suggested that those who do prosecute seem to experience a wider and more pronounced range of symptoms, including depression, anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive compulsive disorder as well as somatization, than those who chose not to prosecute.