Failure to pursue indications of spousal abuse could lead to tragedy, physicians warned.

Many women who are victims of battered-spouse syndrome are unable to disclose their abuse, yet cannot leave the relationship either. This frustrates health care professionals who want to help them and can lead to tragedy, as it did in the case of an Alberta woman who was recently acquitted of murder after using a battered-woman defence. The psychiatrist who testified at her trial says the challenge for physicians is to be alert for patients who may be victims of battery, and to try to encourage the confidence and self-esteem they need to break free from violently abusive relationships.