FAILURE TO PURSUE INDICATIONS OF SPOUSAL ABUSE COULD LEAD TO TRAGEDY,PHYSICIANS WARNED

Many women who are victims of battered-spouse syndrome are unable to d isclose their abuse yet cannot leave the relationship either. This fru strates health care professionals who want to help them and can lead t o tragedy as it did in the case of an Alberta woman who was recently a cquitted of murder after using a battered-woman defence. The psychiatr ist who testified at her trial says the challenge for physicians is to be alert for patients who may be victims of battery, and to try to en courage the confidence and self-esteem they need to break free from vi olently abusive relationships.