Domestic Violence & Pregnancy

[Kym Kilpatrick <kkilpatr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear all,
       Does anyone out there know of any research in the area of domestic
or spouse abuse/violence during pregnancy.  Anecdotal & clinical evidence
suggests that the violence often begins or escalates during the woman's
pregnancy thus putting the unborn child particularly at risk.  A recent
survey here in Australia of the readership of a popular and respectable
women's magazine has reported that over 11% of a 2000+ sample reported
having a miscarriage as a result of the violence they had experienced.
However I have heard an opinion to the effect that the violence does not
neccesarily escalate or begin during pregnancy but rather the age grouping
of women who are likely to be pregnant are  equivalant to the age group of
women generally most at risk of being the victim of spousal violence. All
input is appreciated,
With thanks,

Kym Kilpatrick

Regards,

Kym.

Kym Kilpatrick                     e-mail: kkilpatr@metz.une.edu.au
Psychology Department,             phone: + 61 67 73-2568
University of New England,         fax:   + 61 67 73-3820
Armidale NSW 2351, Australia