When She Was Bad
Violent Women and the Myth of Innocence

Publisher:  Random House
Resource Type:  Book
Cx Number:  CX8118

Patricia Pearson re-examines the notion that women are the passive victims of violence. With statistical studies she shows that women inflict 50% of the violence against children and the elderly; they are responsible for the majority of infanticides and about half the assaults aginst partners or spouses. She says that when we do come face to face with female violence we whitewash it (Aileen Wuornos being one example, Lorena Bobbitt being another). She makes the case that if we don't take a serious look at female aggression and what we think we know about it we put more people at risk.