Self‐Defense and Violence against Women in theUnitedStates

Abstract

Feminist jurisprudence has helped expand “reasonable man” standards of self‐defense to account for women's history of discrimination and trauma histories. When using violence in intimate relationships, help‐seeking women are more likely to be motivated by self‐defense than men. Recently enacted “stand your ground” statutes do not generally benefit women because they would normally not be required to retreat in situations in which they are attacked.