Josef Fritzl was a tyrant who terrified not only his daughter but also his wife. I feel that his wife is in some ways as much of a victim as his daughter Elisabeth and the grandchildren he had with her. Battered wives, (and the abuse can be emotional and verbal, not necessarily physical or sexual) often feel to afraid to admit that they and their kids are in danger and seem to go into denial mode. Why should she be judged so harshly?