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Pregnancy and IPV/DV
Pregnancy can be a vulnerable time for victims
of IPV/DV. Fifty to 70 % of women who were abused prior to
pregnancy are also abused during pregnancy. Among pregnant
teens, 26% reported that they were abused by their boyfriends
during pregnancy; almost half reported that the abuse began
or intensified prior to the pregnancy (NCADV, nd,b). Murder
is the second leading cause of injury-related death for pregnant
women (31%), after car accidents (NCADV, nd.b).
According to The Family Violence Prevention Fund (2004a),
15.9 percent of pregnant women are victims of IPV/DV; among
adolescents, the rate of victimization rises to 21.7 percent.
The consequences for women who were victimized during pregnancy,
as well as their infants, include (NCADV, nd,b; Jasinski,
2004; Gazmarian, et al., 2000):
- Late entry into prenatal care;
- Low birth weight babies;
- Anemia;
- Infections;
- Premature labor;
- Unhealthy maternal behaviors (such as smoking, drinking,
drug use, etc.);
- Fetal trauma;
- Sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV-1;
- Urinary tract-infections;
- Substance abuse;
- Depression;
- Post-partum depression; and
- Other mental health conditions.
It is recommended that all pregnant women be screened for
the presence of IPV/DV (Certain, et al., 2008; ACOG, 2006).
Children and IPV/DV
According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund (2004a)
the estimates of the numbers of children who are exposed to
intimate partner violence vary greatly, from 3.3 million to
ten million children per year. The number varies depending
on the specific definitions of witnessing violence, the source
of interview and the age of child included in the survey.
In 30-60% of homes where IPV/DV is occurring, children are
also being abused.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
(nd) witnessing violence between one's parents or caretakers
is the strongest risk factor of transmitting violent behavior
from one generation to the next. Boys who witness IPV/DV are
twice as likely to abuse their own partners and children when
they become adults.
There are many studies that have identified the negative
impact of IPV/DV on children (FVPF, 2004a). Generally, children
under five, and adolescents have the highest incidence of
being victimized.
Post traumatic stress disorder is a response that children
have to IPV/DV, particularly in situations of chronic violence.
One study reported that exposure to IPV/DV, without having
directly been abused, was enough to cause significant symptoms
in 85% of children (FVPF, 2004a).
Behavioral and physical problems can result from witnessing
IPV/DV. These include (FVPF, 2004a):
- Violence towards peers;
- Academic and social problems at school;
- Drug and alcohol abuse;
- Truancy;
- Running away from home;
- Sexual assault of other children;
- Prostitution;
- Hypervigilance;
- Poor concentration and distractibility;
- Chronic somatic complaints;
- Depression;
- Anxiety;
- Sleep difficulties;
- Attempted suicide.
In homes where IPV/DV occurs, children learn that violence
is a method of problem solving in interpersonal relationships.
They also learn that in "loving" relationships, violence is
a given.
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