Judgment

Judgment

Psychological Self-Defense: Recognizing a New Legal Right to Protect Victims of Domestic Violence (A Comparative Study of Criminal Law in the United States and Iran)

Document Type : Scientific

Authors
Bagher Shamloo 1
hamidreza heydarpour 2
Jila Mehrara 3
1 Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, b_shamloo@sbu.ac.ir
2 PhD Student of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, (Corresponding Author), hrh_1364@yahoo.com
3 Master of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran, jila.mehrara@gmail.com
10.22034/judg.2024.2041243.1339
Abstract
The concept of psychological self-defense is a novel theory introduced within the legislative and judicial frameworks of U.S. criminal law, addressing issues related to violence against women. It grants a specific legal right to self-defense for women who have endured persistent violence. According to this theory, women who lack full mental health due to repeated experiences of violence are entitled to defend themselves against an aggressor in situations where they reasonably and sincerely believe there is an imminent threat of harm. This right absolves them from criminal liability for actions committed in self-defense. Currently, no equivalent concept exists in Iranian criminal law. There is a compelling need for both legislative and judicial recognition of this theory in Iran's legal system. This paper examines the legislative and judicial approaches in U.S. criminal law concerning psychological self-defense, critically evaluates Iranian criminal law from this perspective, and ultimately advocates for the recognition of this specific right for victims of domestic violence within Iran’s legal framework. The findings indicate that while significant legislative and judicial advancements have been made in U.S. criminal law through the adoption of psychological self-defense, the concept remains absent in Iran’s criminal law. Recognizing this right legislatively and judicially in Iranian law could represent a significant step forward in protecting victims of domestic violence. Furthermore, incorporating psychological concepts, such as the battered woman syndrome, into the drafting of legal standards and regulations on self-defense would pave the way for more practical and effective support for women with experiences of violence when faced with immediate or imminent threats.
Keywords
Psychological self-defense
right to self-defense
victims of domestic violence
victimization experience
U.S. criminal law
Iranian criminal law

Subjects

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Judgment
Volume 24, Issue 119
Autumn 2025
Pages 24-47

  • Receive Date 15 September 2024
  • Revise Date 07 November 2024
  • Accept Date 13 November 2024