Lenore E. Walker | |
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Born | Lenore Edna Walker October 3, 1942 New York City, New York, U.S. |
Education | Hunter College of City University New York (B.A.) Nova Southeastern University (M.S.) Rutgers the State University of New Jersey (Ed.D.) |
Occupation(s) | Psychologist, forensic researcher, educator |
Years active | 1964–present |
Notable work | The Battered Woman |
Website | drlenoreewalker |
Lenore Edna Walker (born 3 October, 1942) is an American psychologist, educator, and author. She is known for her work in domestic violence and the psychology of women, particularly her groundbreaking research on battered women. [1] [2] Walker is Professor Emeritus at Nova Southeastern University. [3]
Walker gained prominence after publishing the book The Battered Woman in 1979. She also founded the Domestic Violence Institute after helping victims of domestic violence during the 1970s. Walker is credited with introducing the concept of battered woman syndrome and the Cycle of Abuse model, which are widely applied in clinical, legal, and educational settings. [4] [5] [6] [7]
Walker was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2023, she was awarded the APF Gold Medal for Impact in Psychology in recognition of her transformative contributions to psychology. [8]
Born on October 3, 1942 in New York, she pursued her education in psychology with a strong devotion to understanding and addressing the social and psychological challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Walker earned her Bachelor's degree from Hunter College in 1964, followed by her Master's from City College of New York and Nova Southeastern University, and ultimately her doctorate in psychology from Rutgers University in 1972. [3]
During the early stages of her career, Walker focused on the clinical subset of psychology, but she quickly shifted her attention to the systemic issues surrounding domestic violence. Her groundbreaking work laid the foundation for modern understandings of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its psychological impacts. [9] Walker's most notable contribution came in 1979 with the publication of her book The Battered Woman, where she introduced the concept of the Cycle of Abuse. [10]
Walker's work introduced the concept of Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS), a subset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which gained recognition as a legal defense in some cases involving women who killed their abusers in self-defense, and the Cycle of Abuse model. [11]
The Cycle of Abuse is a theoretical framework that identifies patterns in abusive relationships. It consists of four phases: tension-building, incident, reconciliation, and calm (later termed the "honeymoon phase"). In the tension-building phase, stress and conflict gradually escalate, leading to an explosive incident of abuse. Afterward, reconciliation occurs, where the abuser may apologize or attempt to minimize their actions, often coupled with affection or promises of change. This is followed by the calm phase, a period of relative peace that reinforces hope for improvement. However, the cycle typically repeats, creating a psychological trap for the victim. Walker's model highlighted the cyclical nature of abuse, explaining why victims often find it difficult to leave abusive relationships. [2]
Walker's contributions extend beyond theory; she has worked as an advocate, educator, and clinician, striving to improve legal, social, and therapeutic responses to IPV. Her research has influenced laws and policies worldwide, including training for law enforcement and mental health professionals. [12] Walker continues to be celebrated for her relentless efforts to raise awareness about domestic violence and empower survivors. [13]
In 1995, Walker offered to testify for O. J. Simpson during his trial for the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Since evidence of Simpson physically abusing Brown in the past had already been shown by the prosecution, to the point that he had once been arrested and pleaded no contest for spousal abuse, Walker's colleagues accused her of betraying her advocacy for financial gain. [14] [15] The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence wrote of Walker's assessment of Simpson, "[it] is absolutely the opposite of the assessment of most battered women's advocates in this country." [16] During the subsequent civil trial, Walker testified against him instead and testified for the Goldmans. [17]
For a time, Walker lived and worked in Denver, Colorado, where she was a licensed psychologist and led in the area of study of domestic violence, serving as the president and chief executive officer of Walker & Associates. [2]
Walker has conducted research on family violence and founded the Domestic Violence Institute. [18] She has also testified as an expert witness in trials involving domestic abuse and had developed domestic violence training programs and drafted legislative reform. [18] During her work, Walker interviewed 1,500 women who had been subject to domestic violence and found that there was a similar pattern of abuse, a cycle of abuse. [19]
In 2016, Walker was awarded Professor of the Year at Nova Southeastern University. [20] She is Professor Emeritus at Nova Southeastern University's College of Psychology. [3]
The urban survival syndrome, in United States jurisprudence, can be used either as a defense of justification or of excuse. The first case using, unsuccessfully, the defense of "urban survival syndrome" is the 1994 Fort Worth, Texas murder trial of Daimion Osby.
Psychological abuse, often known as emotional abuse or mental abuse or psychological violence or non-physical abuse, is a form of abuse characterized by a person subjecting or exposing another person to a behavior that may result in psychological trauma, including anxiety, chronic depression, clinical depression or post-traumatic stress disorder amongst other psychological problems.
Elizabeth F. Loftus is an American psychologist who is best known in relation to the misinformation effect, false memory and criticism of recovered memory therapies.
The cycle of abuse is a social cycle theory developed in 1979 by Lenore E. Walker to explain patterns of behavior in an abusive relationship. The phrase is also used more generally to describe any set of conditions which perpetuate abusive and dysfunctional relationships, such as abusive child rearing practices which tend to get passed down. Walker used the term more narrowly, to describe the cycling patterns of calm, violence, and reconciliation within an abusive relationship. Critics suggest the theory was based on inadequate research criteria, and cannot therefore be generalized upon.
Battered woman syndrome (BWS) is a pattern of signs and symptoms displayed by a woman who has suffered persistent intimate partner violence—psychological, physical, or sexual—from her male partner. It is classified in the ICD-9 as battered person syndrome, but is not in the DSM-5. It may be diagnosed as a subcategory of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Victims may exhibit a range of behaviors, including self-isolation, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse, and signs of physical injury or illness, such as bruises, broken bones, or chronic fatigue.
Elissa Panush Benedek is an American psychiatrist specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. She is an adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical Center. She served as director of research and training at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ann Arbor for 25 years and was president of the American Psychiatric Association from 1990 to 1991. She is regarded as an expert on child abuse and trauma, and has testified in high-profile court cases. She also focuses on ethics, psychiatric aspects of disasters and terrorism, and domestic violence. In addition to her own books, book chapters, and articles, she has collaborated with her husband, attorney Richard S. Benedek, on studies of divorce, child custody, and child abuse.
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David Allen Wolfe is an academic, psychologist and author specializing in issues of child abuse, domestic violence, children and youth. His work includes the promotion of healthy relationships through school programs, with a major focus on the prevention of child abuse and neglect, bullying, dating violence, unsafe sex, substance abuse and other consequences of unhealthy relationships.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to domestic violence:
Domestic violence against men is violence or other physical abuse towards men in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. As with domestic violence against women, violence against men may constitute a crime, but laws vary between jurisdictions. Intimate partner violence (IPV) against men is generally less recognized by society than intimate partner violence against women, which can act as a further block to men reporting their situation or otherwise seeking help.
Domestic violence in Kenya constitutes any harmful behavior against a family member or partner, including rape, assault, physical abuse, and forced prostitution. Domestic violence in Kenya reflects worldwide statistics in that women are the overwhelming majority of victims. Over 40% of married women in Kenya have reported being victims of either domestic violence or sexual abuse. Worldwide, over 30% of "ever-partnered women" aged 15 and older have experienced physical or sexual partner violence. The distinct factors and causes of this high percentage have often not been studied due to lack of data.
Nadine J. Kaslow is an American psychologist, the 2014 president of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the editor of the Journal of Family Psychology. Before her current affiliation with Emory University, Kaslow worked at Yale University. She was recipient of the 2004 American Psychological Association award for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Training in Psychology.
Mathilda Bushel Canter was an American psychologist and leader in state and national psychological organizations. Known as the "First Lady of Arizona Psychology" for her service to her state board and state association of psychology, she was the first female president of the American Psychological Association (APA) Division of Psychotherapy. She won multiple national awards for career achievement in psychological practice.
Lisa A. Goodman is an American counseling psychologist known for her research on domestic violence and violence against women. She is Professor of Counseling Psychology at the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. Goodman is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Division of Counseling Psychology.
Apryl A. Alexander is an American clinical and forensic psychologist who is an associate professor at the University of Denver. Alexander directs students at the Denver Forensic Institute for Research, Service and Training, and engages in clinical psychology practice. She is co-founder of the University of Denver's Prison Arts Initiative where incarcerated individuals engage in a therapeutic, educational arts curricula.
Dawn Marie Szymanski is an American psychologist. She is a Full professor and Editor-In-Chief of the Society for the Psychology of Women's journal, Psychology of Women Quarterly.
Gail Elizabeth Wyatt is a clinical psychologist and board-certified sex therapist known for her research on consensual and abusive sexual relationships and their influence on psychological well-being. She is Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Wyatt was the first African American woman in the state of California to receive a license to practice psychology and first African American woman to be named a Full Professor of the UCLA School of Medicine.
Martha E. Banks is a clinical psychologist known her expertise on issues involving women, race, trauma, disability, religion, and their intersectionality. She is a research neuropsychologist and computer programmer at ABackans DCP Inc.
Jessica Henderson Daniel is a psychologist and educator, known for her work on mental health in the Black community, racial trauma, and the effects of stress and violence on Black children and adolescents. Daniel was the first African American woman to lead the American Psychological Association (APA), serving her term as president of the organization in 2018.
Thema Simone Bryant, also known as Thema Bryant-Davis, is an American psychologist who is a professor of psychology at the Pepperdine University, where she directs the Culture and Trauma Research Laboratory. Her research considers interpersonal trauma and societal trauma of oppression. She was elected as the 2023 President of the American Psychological Association.