Refinery29 explains that both of the Bobbitts were charged with serious crimes — John with marital sexual assault, Lorena with malicious wounding — but both were acquitted. Part of the decision to acquit Lorena was the history of abuse leading up to the night in question. Police had been called to the Bobbitt house half a dozen times for domestic abuse or assault cases before the night in question. This action did not come out of the blue.

The fulcrum of Lorena’s case would be whether she was sane when she finally cut through her husband’s malignancy. The judge ruled that she was “so impaired by disease that she was unable to resist the impulse to commit the crime.”

What disease did he mean? Before and after the incident, Lorena reportedly suffered from panic attacks and depression related to her abusive marriage. The weight of her trauma — that overused word should only be used for people in situations like hers — was enough to significantly impair her judgment, likely causing her to do things that no sane person would consider.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).