PMS- as a defense
According to the various cases described where women turned excessively violent and killed people in a rage, their ascribed behavior has been linked with PMS as a trigger which led to these incidents. PMS is experienced by women before and during menstruation due to the hormonal changes in this time period. It can lead to depression, anxiety and when situations seem unbearable, women are believed to turn excessively aggressive and violent. In my opinion, PMS is not enough to be credited as a major or ultimate reason of why women can become aggressive, violent and murderous at a distressing point in life. Research has shown that only a minority of women have been recorded showing PMS and emotional disturbances and aggression whereas a majority has been declared oblivious to severe aggression with PMS. Hormonal changes of a very extreme nature can be credited with the idea of an abnormality, however, such disparity in a woman’s judgment cannot occur alone with PMS. There can be genetic references to aggressive such as having a hot temper, lacking tolerance or patience or just being depressed or anxious. Crimes for which women have been acquitted under the insanity defense for PMS are not justified because there are many other women who go through PMS along with distressing situations but not all of them turn to crime to vent their feelings. The research conducted so far as PMS being a driver for crime is tenuous and debatable because it is a rare factor forcing women into crime. As far as evidence showing aggression around the PMS stage is concerned, it might be purely coincidental for these women. It might also be true, but more research needs to be conducted to prove the theory. The research conducted will more likely show how the females should be accounted for their aggression and PMS should not be way out for everyone. It can decrease victimization of men for many crimes as well.
