IntroductionDomestic violence against women has increasingly been recognized nationally and internationally as a serious problem. Violence against women is a troubling phenomenon in Russia. Meanwhile domestic abuse against women often results in long-term mental health problems.ObjectivesThe main aim of the study was to find out the psychological and psychiatric consequences of violence against women and to determine the origins of crimes committed by abused females.Materials and methodsA cohort of 18 females was examined by forensic psychiatrists. All women had committed crimes of violence (murders, attempted murders). Details of background, psychiatric and offending history were extracted. Each item was assessed with the help of descriptive statistics.ResultsA research has been carried out on the basis of psychiatric and forensic psychiatric assessment of two groups of women who had a long history of violence by their husbands or partners. Clinical assessment has revealed depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, drug abuse. All women underwent forensic psychiatric assessment as they had committed serious crimes of violence. The research has revealed two types of homicides. Women of the first subgroup displayed pathological altruistic motivation of their children. Women of the second subgroup had committed homicides of their husbands and partners whose violence towards women escalated in severity.ConclusionThe research shows the necessity of domestic violence prevention by legal provisions and multidisciplinary research with participation of psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, human rights advocates and feminist societies.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

IntroductionDomestic violence is a troubling problem, but it has acquired a new, previously unknown significance during the COVID 19 pandemic. According to WHO, the number of calls from victims of domestic violence to hotlines during quarantine in many countries has increased by an average of 5 times.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to find out the consequences of domestic violence against women and to identify psychological problems and mental disorders. Attention was paid to the mental health of victims of violence in self - isolation during COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe analyzed the psychological problems and mental disorders of women who applied to the newly created hotline for women at the Serbsky Center in Moscow during the COVID 19 pandemic.ResultsThe situation caused by restrictive quarantine measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic provokes aggressiveness and all forms of domestic violence.Clinical interview has revealed depression, anxiety, fear, low self-esteem, self-harm behavior, which formed the clinical picture of adaptation disorders, acute stress disorders, PTSR, psychosomatic disorders, substance abuse), sexual dysfunctions, eating disorders in the form of bulimia and anorexia.ConclusionsThe study requires taking into account social, economic and gender characteristics. In all types of emergencies, including epidemics, violence against women tends to increase. This is facilitated by a number of factors, such as the crowding of the stay,a decrease in prosperity, provocation of alcohol abuse, state of uncertainty.

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IntroductionResearches on female offenders have indicated a high degree of psychiatric morbidity amongst women. Since the rates of female criminality are rising it would appear important to conduct the study of the relationship between criminal behaviour and psychiatric diagnoses in female offenders.ObjectivesThe main purpose of this investigation is to find out origins of crimes in women and to reveal the influence of child and adolescent maltreatment on personality disorders in adult women.MethodsClinical psychopathological, psychological, statistical.ResultsA cohort of 24 females with diagnosis of personality disorders was examined. All of them had committed crimes of violence. In the majority of the sample women had a previous history of psychiatric admissions (child psychiatric hospitals, adolescent units). The retrospective review revealed that the majority of women in their childhood were exposed to emotional, physical and sexual abuse in their families. Our results point that maltreatment may distort personality formation and social adjustment and contribute to behavior problems, negative relation to socialization and criminal behavior in adulthood.ConclusionThe study revealed that psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence are predictive of adult criminality in females. This findings may be used as prognostic indicators of development of aggression in female forensic patients.The study is supported by the Russian Fund of Fundamental Investigations 6-06-00314Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.