Describe how Walkers Cycle Theory of Violence as well as the concept of learned helplessness could explain why Mrs. Jolly remained in this relationship in spite of the horrific abuse she endured.

First, read the case about Mr. and Mrs. Jolly below. Then, utilizing research on battered women and domestic violence (resources attached), answer the following two questions:

1) Describe how Walkers Cycle Theory of Violence as well as the concept of learned helplessness could explain why Mrs. Jolly remained in this relationship in spite of the horrific abuse she endured.

2) It is expected that a judge and potentially a jury would have a really difficult time understanding why Mrs. Jolly didnt just walk out and leave the relationship. How could a forensic psychologist help the trier of fact understand why battered women often don’t leave the relationship?

CASE BELOW:

Mrs. Angela Jolly is a 35year-old Hispanic woman who marries Mr. Jolly, a man 25 years older than herself. Mrs. Jolly met Mr. Jolly when she was 18-years-old and Mr. Jolly is a very wealthy man. Mr. Jolly sought a divorce from Mrs. Jolly after several years of marriage. As such, Mrs. Jolly sought the services of a divorce lawyer. Mrs. Jollys divorce attorney comes to believe that Mrs. Jolly was a battered woman and sought a forensic psychological evaluation. This evaluation revealed that Mrs. Jolly was subject to severe psychological, physical, and sexual abuse during her relationship with Mr. Jolly. She was subjected to years of public humiliation, degradation, psychological torture, and sadistic abuse. She was isolated from her close-knit family and not permitted to visit her dying sister or attend her brothers funeral. She was subject to public humiliation in which Mr. Jolly would pat her head, pinch her cheeks, force her to sit on his lap, and spank her in front of others. When she met Mr. Jolly, Mrs. Jolly was a thin and attractive woman who was a dancer and had even done some modeling. Due to her depression, she gained some weight during their marriage. Mr. Jolly engaged in various tactics to help Mrs. Jolly lose weight including forcing her to eat moldy cheese and food from the garbage, which caused her to vomit. When he found food that Mrs. Jolly hid food because she was too embarrassed to eat in front of him, he forced her to eat a large bag of M&Ms in one sitting and forced urine in her mouth while she was asleep, causing her to vomit. He would also shove urine and fecal matter stored in a plastic container in her mouth. He would encourage her to smell and eat her own vomit. She was vaginally and anally raped throughout the marriage. She sustained physical injuries as a result of this sexual abuse including rectal bleeding and external hemorrhoids. A battery of psychological tests were performed which was consistent with a diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. There was no evidence that Mrs. Jolly was malingering. The forensic psychologist opined that Mrs. Jolly developed Battered Womans Syndrome as a result of the domestic violence in the relationship.

Last Completed Projects