Comments on The General Blog of Crime: What Would Tammy Do?

Not trying to split hairs - but that is a problem....

2008-03-16T10:19:00.000-04:00

Not trying to split hairs - but that is a problem. I find it unhelpful to group general pressures to keep a marriage going and a general tendency to feel "trap" in a marriage with anything even close to what battered women go through. In a serious moment - we are all "trapped" to some degree in a marriage. that is what helps us weather the tough times, knowing that should we stick out the troubled times. There is something very distinct about battered woman syndrome.

I hear what you're sayin', Scoob, and I totally ag...

2008-03-14T10:14:00.000-04:00

I hear what you're sayin', Scoob, and I totally agree that politicians' wives have infinitely more resources at their disposal than the typical woman trying to leave her abusive partner. But, at the same time, "Maybe she loves him and is having an impossible time coming to terms with the fact that her whole world is caving in around her" is a statement that, in my view, is equally applicable to battered women. In fact, the women I have interviewed frequently express this very sentiment -- the realization that they must leave the partner they love (and often the father of their children) is devastating to them. I don't think it's a perfect analogy by any means, but I think there are some parallels there...

I think the abused-woman analogy is off base. Thi...

2008-03-14T09:50:00.000-04:00

I think the abused-woman analogy is off base. This woman has lots of options - being married to a billionaire helps. Crazy thought.... Maybe she loves him and is having an impossible time coming to terms with the fact that her whole world is caving in around her? Imagine the web of lies that this animal weaved. I can't imagine how much out of nowhere this must have come to her.

i agree -- it's nice to see sanctions against the ...

2008-03-11T16:09:00.000-04:00

i agree -- it's nice to see sanctions against the john as well.

the symbolic interactionist in me (in addition to the criminologist) is similarly fascinated by all this. the law and order types, like Spitzer, seem to never see the danger in "too much" control -- perhaps he understands this a bit more now.

Welcome newsocprof. I think it is maternal smokin...

2008-03-11T14:44:00.000-04:00

Welcome newsocprof. I think it is maternal smoking or low self control. Seriously, in our time of moral panic over sex crimes, I hope that events like this raise our understanding of the pervasiveness of sex-related criminal behavior. In addition, I am happy to see another example of where we sanctioned the john.

Good point, newsocprof. Control theorists, unite!...

2008-03-11T14:27:00.000-04:00

Good point, newsocprof. Control theorists, unite!

BTW, here is the CNN interview with Dina McGreevey.

yes, that would be refreshing... i'm actually less...

2008-03-11T12:07:00.000-04:00

yes, that would be refreshing...

i'm actually less surprised when it involves an 'uncompromising moral crusader' -- fits better with crim theory that suggests deviance is the norm, right?

Dina McG was on the Today show, uh... today (that ...

2008-03-11T10:39:00.001-04:00

Dina McG was on the Today show, uh... today (that sounds weird). I'd like to go back and watch her interview again with Matt Lauer, since the kids were running around and I couldn't really hear it.

She is certainly in a league of her own, given that her husband had to admit to not only having an affair, but being a "gay American" to boot. I think she was mostly in shock during that first press conference. Too creepy...

Thanks for the post. I thought the same thing whe...

2008-03-11T10:39:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the post. I thought the same thing when I saw the press conference. For the record, I informed hubby that I am not the kind of girl that would stand by my man on TV. At the same time, political families have spent years polishing their 'front stage' behaviors, and I think it is hard to break out of this mold.