In our previous post, we began looking at recent research from Ohio State University published in journal Social Science & Medicine. According to the research, victims of domestic violence often recant their allegations of domestic violence because they have gained sympathy for their abuser.

The research shows that there are typically five stages in the growth of sympathy. In the first and second stages, there is a movement from the victim standing up for herself to the victim beginning to sympathize with the abuser.

In the third stage, according to Bonomi, the couple begins to bond together in love and set themselves up against those who don't understand their situation. The fourth stage comes when the abuser requests that the victim recant her allegations of violence. In the fifth and final stage, the couple undertakes to develop a plan to recant the allegations and develop a coherent story.

As we mentioned in our previous post, in each of the 17 cases where this pattern played out, the couple was aware they were being taped. Bonomi, though, doesn't believe that knowledge of the recording significantly affected the behavior of the abuser, or kept them from threatening violence when they normally would have. In her estimation, the lack of further threats was likely calculated to be less effective in getting the female to recant.

Although the study provides some intriguing insights into the dynamics leading up to recanting allegations of domestic abuse, it is dangerous to over-generalize. Although this pattern of behavior may take place between many abusers and their victims, it shouldn't be assumed that every time a victim recants allegations of domestic violence, it means they have simply been emotionally manipulated by their partner. In each case, defendants should be given a fair and unbiased hearing.

That said, the study may suggest more effective ways of helping victims of domestic violence to break free from their abusers.

Source: World Science, "Appeals to sympathy lead many battered wives to drop accusations, study finds," August 15, 2011.