Opinion ID: 2623482
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Testimony concerning the mental state of child abusers during their acts of abuse

Text: Dr. Krugman testified that he was not able to explain the loss of control that leads to abuse, he was only able to observe it. When questioned whether abusers are aware of what they are doing, he explained: In my experience, very often they are not aware of it at the time it's happened. And, what is characteristic in many cases is that the caretaker who harms the child, desperately hopes that what they've done is not as severe as it is. And, often they delay in seeking care.... So, I think there's a pressure in abuse, in individuals who abuse children, to suppress or repress what's happened. Because I think they feel very badly as well. Krugman further explained that, in his estimation, abusers have no intention of hurting the child and in fact are not even aware that the child is actually going to be hurt: I don't think there's any conscious thought about consequences much less what they're doing ... this is just a rage where the individual is incredibly stressed and frustrated and just wants whatever behavior the child was having to stop. Krugman later offered that when people lose control in these types of situations they are not thinking. On cross, the district attorney revisited this subject: DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Can you say that in a situation like this that a person would maybe not know the consequences of what they were doing, but know that they were slamming a baby's head against a hard object to quiet him, or to get rid of the noise, or for whatever reason? But they would know what they were, the physical action that they were taking. DR. KRUGMAN: I think that knowledge comes after the event. I'm not sure I can say it comes during the event. Finally, Krugman explained that he based his opinions on his clinical experience with our team and in studying and reading the literature on child abuse....