Pregnancy and Intimate Partner Violence: Risk Factors, Severity, and Health Effects

Authors

Douglas A. Brownridge, University of ManitobaFollow
Tamara L. Tallieu, University of Manitoba
Kimberly A. Tyler, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Agnes Tiwari, University of Hong Kong
Ko Ling Chan, University of Hong Kong
Susy C. Santos, Victoria General Hospital

Date of this Version

2011

Comments

Published in Violence Against Women 17:7 (2011), pp. 858–881; doi: 10.1177/1077801211412547 Copyright © 2011 Douglas A. Brownridge, Tamara L. Taillieu, Kimberly A. Tyler, Agnes Tiwari, Ko Ling Chan, and Susy C. Santos. Published by Sage Publications. Used by permission. http://vaw.sagepub.com

Abstract

The current study compares female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) who were and were not victimized during pregnancy. Victims of pregnancy violence are more likely to report having experienced all forms of violence, particularly severe forms, and have higher odds of experiencing several postviolence indicators of severity and adverse health consequences. The significance of predictors disappears in a post hoc analysis controlling for proxies of battering behavior (i.e., repeated and severe violence), suggesting that victims who experience violence during pregnancy may be more likely to be in a current intimate relationship with an abuser who inflicts repeated and severe IPV.