Background Violence against women is a troubling phenomenon in Russia and also one with great social consequences. Many Russian families are a scene of a silent drama – a drama that society, the courts and other institutions are only beginning to learn to confront. The main purpose of this research is to find out origins of crimes in women who are victims of domestic violence.

Methods Clinical, psychological, statistical.

Results Forensic psychiatrists found out that domestic abuse against women is often one of the main causes of crimes of violence in women. A cohort of 8 females was examined by forensic psychiatrists and psychologists. All women were victims of violence and had committed murders of their husbands or partners whose violence towards women escalated in severity. Domestic abuse resulted in so called battered women syndrome. Clinical assessment has revealed depression, anxiety, fear, post traumatic stress disorder, alcohol abuse. At the time of the crime all women revealed depressive states.

Conclusions A research has been carried out on the basis of forensic psychiatric assessment of those women who had a long history of violence by their husbands or partners. The study has revealed the cycle of violence and the risk of women who are victims of domestic violence to become a perpetrators.