What |s domest|c v|o|ence?

Lsplnosa Csborne (2002 303) deflne domesLlc vlolence as ' a paLLern of coerclve behavlour
deslgned Lo exerL power and conLrol over a person ln an lnLlmaLe relaLlonshlp Lhrough Lhe use of
lnLlmldaLlng LhreaLenlng harmful or harasslng behavlour' uomesLlc vlolence can occur ln many
dlfferenL forms such as physlcal vlolence sexual abuse verbal LhreaLs emoLlonal abuse sLalklng or
cyber sLalklng lsolaLlon lnLlmldaLlon splrlLual abuse and economlc abuse (Lsplnosa Csborne
2002 CarrlngLon hllllps 2006) psychologlcal abuse lncludes Lhlngs such as verbal abuse belng
yelled aL name calllng lsolaLlon (le from frlends and famlly) lnLlmldaLlon (noL allowlng Lo glve eye
conLacL Lo oLher people keeplng one's eyes Lo Lhe ground) lLs common LhaL many who use
psychologlcal abuse wlll LhreaLen wlLh physlcal vlolence or oLher acLs of vlolence Lo geL whaL Lhey
wanL (le Lake Lhe chlldren away or harm Lhem breaklng Lhlngs LhaL may be lmporLanL Lo Lhe
woman (8ewley Clbbs 2000 SmlLh Segal 2011) Lconomlc abuse occurs when Lhe perpeLraLor
averLs Lhe woman from maklng any flnanclal declslons Lhls ls done by wlLhholdlng flnanclal
lnformaLlon and access Lo flnances CLher forms of economlc abuse ls havlng Lo [usLlfy all spendlng
and belng blamed for flnanclal problems Lhe perpeLraLor may noL allow Lhe woman Lo earn her own
money by noL leLLlng her work ( Conner 2007)



Accordlng Lo Lhe CommonwealLh's Cfflce for Women (ClW)( 2004 clLed ln CarrlngLon hllllps
2006) domesLlc vlolence can be exhlblLed ln many forms lncludlng physlcal vlolence sexual abuse
emoLlonal abuse sLalklng or cyber sLalklng lnLlmldaLlon splrlLual abuse economlc deprlvaLlon or
LhreaLs of vlolence vlcLlms of domesLlc vlolence may be a man or a woman however domesLlc
vlolence commonly occurs ln LradlLlonal heLerosexual relaLlonshlps as well as ln some samesex
relaLlonshlps (de 8enedlcLls !affe Segal 2006) hyslcal vlolence ls ofLen used lnLenLlonally Lo cause
harm Lo oLhers whlch also has Lhe poLenLlal Lo cause deaLh dlsablllLy and ln[ury hyslcal vlolence
lncludes Lhough ls noL resLrlcLed Lo punchlng pulllng hlLLlng blLlng scraLchlng chocklng shaklng
pushlng shovlng burnlng Lhrowlng halr pulllng Lhe use of one's body slze Lo resLraln anoLher Lo
cause harm 1he use of a weapon ls also lncluded ln physlcal vlolence weapons such as a gun knlfe
and oLher ob[ecLs whlch may also cause harm (8ewley Clbbs 200)(SmlLh Segal 2011)


includes preventing others from making any financial decisions, having to justify all legitimate
spending, unjustified blame for financial problems, withholding of financial information and
access to finances, and not allowing the partner to work outside home. Michael G. Conner,
Psy.D
9sycho|og|ca| Abuse


exua| Abuse Sexual abuse lncludes forced sex afLer physlcal abuse forced sex when Lhe
woman ls slck and noL wanLlng Lo parLlclpaLe ln lnLercourse wlLhholdlng sex and affecLlon
whlch may make Lhe woman feel humlllaLed [ealously accuslng Lhe woman of havlng
lnLercourse wlLh oLher people crlLlclslng Lhe woman sexually noL carlng abouL Lhe woman's
feellng abouL sex (8ewley Clbbs) (newLon 2001)
O mlnlmlzed Lhe lmporLance of your feellngs abouL sex
O crlLlclzed you sexually
O lnslsLed on unwanLed or uncomforLable Louchlng
O wlLhheld sex and affecLlon
O forced sex afLer physlcal abuse or when you were slck
O raped you
O been [ealously angry assumlng you would have sex wlLh anyone
O lnslsLed LhaL you dress ln a more sexual way Lhan you wanLed
Sexual abuse lnvolves forced sex degradlng sexual pracLlces or wlLhholdlng sex ln a way LhaL
makes Lhe woman feel humlllaLed
Mellnda SmlLh MA and !eanne Segal hu conLrlbuLed Lo Lhls arLlcle LasL revlewed March 2011
Source 8ewley C Clbbs A 2000 uomesLlc vlolence ln pregnancy a mldwlfery lssue ln Mldwlfery
pracLlce core Loplcs 3 ch 7 pp 100112
SmlLh M Segal ! 2011 uomestlc vloleoce ooJ Abose 5lqos of Abose ooJ Aboslve
kelotloosblps helpguldeorg vlewed 9 Aprll 2011
hLLp//wwwhelpguldeorg/menLal/domesLlc_vlolence_abuse_Lypes_slgns_causes_effecLs
hLm
Michael G. Conner, Psy.D
Conner MC 2007 Aboot Jomestlc vloleoce oqolost womeo crlsls counselllng vlewed 10 Aprll
2011 hLLp//wwwcrlslscounsellngcom/abusevlolence/uomesLlcvlolenceWomenhLm
Bettex, M 2010, Ecological balancing act, Massachusetts Institute oI Technology, viewed 26 October 2010,
hLLp//webmlLedu/newsofflce/2010/phyLoplankLon0303hLml
newLon C! 2001 uomestlc vloleoce Ao Ovetvlew llnd Counselllng vlewed 9 Aprll 2011
hLLp//wwwflndcounsellngcom/[ournal/domesLlcvlolence/sexualabusehLml
keferrinq to this ortic/e
uomesLlc vlolence An Cvervlew was wrlLLen by C ! newLon MA Learnlng SpeclallsL and
publlshed ln Lhe llnd Counsellngcom (formerly 1heraplsLllnderneL) MenLal PealLh !ournal ln
lebruary 2001














ln relaLlonshlps LhaL have had no hlsLory of vlolence pregnancy can ofLen acL as a mechanlsm for
abuse Lo begln Accordlng Lo arker eLal (1999) clLed ln uufLy Pardacre (2003 336) vlolence
beglnnlng or exacerbaLlng ln pregnancy ls due Lo reasons such as [ealousy Loward Lhe unborn chlld
ln relaLlonshlps LhaL have had a hlsLory of vlolence or where vlolence ls sLlll occurrlng pregnancy can
furLher escalaLe Lhe vlolenL behavlour Lhe abuse may also progress from psychologlcal abuse Lo
physlcal assaulLs Lhe aLLacks may become more recurrenL and bruLal and dlrecLed Lo Lhe abdomen
and genlLals (WrlghL 2003) Clven LhaL domesLlc vlolence ls almosL always escalaLed durlng
pregnancy lL's no surprlse LhaL lL ls a huge facLor ln maLernal and perlnaLal morbldlLy 8alrd (2002 p
13) asserL LhaL up Lo 30 of women have suffered from domesLlc vlolence have experlence Lhe flrsL
lncldenL durlng pregnancy wlLh abouL 13 of Lhose women golng on Lo lose Lhelr bables as a resulL
of Lhe repeaLed abuse




















omp||cat|ons ]
Lffects on woman lL has been argued LhaL maLernal morbldlLy from vlolence ls more prevalenL Lhan
from gesLaLlonal dlabeLes or pre eclampsla !ohnsLon (p 311 2003) suggesLs LhaL abused women
are more llkely Lo mlscarry experlence preLerm labour placenLal abrupLlon and glve blrLh Lo low
welghL bables 1hls abuse can also affecL Lhe foeLus as lnLrauLerlne deaLh chorloamnlonlLls ln[urles
Lo feLal llmbs and organs can occur (Ldln Poegberg 2002 8ewley Clbbs 2000) Women who
experlence domesLlc vlolence are more prone Lo gynaecologlcal problems compllcaLlons durlng
pregnancy and chlldblrLh depresslon sulclde aLLempLs women who suffer from domesLlc vlolence
are also more suscepLlble Lo nu sexually LransmlLLed lnfecLlons eaLlng dlsorders and subsLance
abuse (8ewley Clbbs 2000 8alrd 2002 Pomer 2006) Chlldren who are llvlng ln an abuslve
envlronmenL ofLen become a way for Lhe abuser Lo afflrm conLrol uufLy Pardacre (2003 p 337)
polnL ouL LhaL 'abused woman are ofLen beaLen and humlllaLed ln fronL of Lhelr chlldren and Lhls
may be parLly Lhe way fuLure abusers are made Chlldren who are llvlng wlLh Lhe abuse of Lhelr
moLher can be consldered a form of emoLlonal abuse as even lf Lhe chlldren are noL belng abused
physlcally Lhey sLlll wlLness and overhear argumenLs and ofLen observe Lhe afLermaLh le broken
furnlLure cuLs and brulslng on Lhelr moLher (8ewley Clbbs 2000 PolL 8uckley Whelan 2008)
Lvldence proposes LhaL growlng up ln an abuslve envlronmenL can slgnlflcanLly endanger Lhe
developmenLal growLh and personal capablllLy of chlldren Lhe lncreaslng effecL of whlch may be
carrled lnLo adulL hood can add exLenslvely Lo Lhe cycle of adverslLy and vlolence
Lffects on ch||d Men LhaL abuse Lhelr parLners may also abuse chlldren Lven lf chlldren noL
physlcally abused Lhey wlLness or overhear abuse long lasLlng psychologlcal consequences ()
ood po|nts and references however women foetus are over|app|ng maybe we shou|d put
these two together both on s||des and notes? What do u reckon? A|so effects on foetus and
effects on ch||d needs to be put |nto sentences as |t's supposed to be essay sty|e type of th|ng Not
dot po|nts on|y an you a|so reference nomer 2006? x
PolL S 2008 1he lmpacL of exposure Lo domesLlc vlolence on chlldren and young peopleA
revlew of Lhe llLeraLure @be lotetootloool jootool 32 797810
LffecLs on feLus Mlscarrlage lnLrauLerlne deaLh premaLure blrLh low blrLh welghL (Ldln
Poegberg 2002) placenLal abrupLlon chorloamnlonlLls feLal ln[ury Lo llmbs an organs ( 8ewley
Clbbs 2000)
LffecLs on Chlld Men LhaL abuse Lhelr parLners may also abuse chlldren Lven lf chlldren noL
physlcally abused Lhey wlLness or overhear abuse long lasLlng psychologlcal consequences (
8ewley Clbbs 2000)
&&&&t has been argued that materna| morb|d|ty from v|o|ence |s more preva|ent than from
gestat|ona| d|abetes or pre ec|amps|a Iohnston (p 3112003) suggest that abused women are
more ||ke|y to m|scarry exper|ence preterm |abour p|acenta| abrupt|on and g|ve b|rth to |ow
we|ght bab|es &&&&& l donL know lf you guys wlll wanL Lo use Lhls buL l came across lL ln one of Lhe
[ournals l phoLocopled xxx


CompllcaLlons / LffecLs on woman SLress may lead Lo use of alcohol drugs or clgarreLes and
decreased placenLal perfuslon sychlaLrlc lllness depresslon sulclde aLLempLs more prone Lo nu
(8ewley Clbbs 2000)
LffecLs on Chlld
omp||cat|ons ] Lffects on woman Women who experlence domesLlc vlolence are more prone Lo
gynaecologlcal problems compllcaLlons durlng pregnancy and chlldblrLh depresslon sulclde
aLLempLs women who suffer from domesLlc vlolence are also more suscepLlble Lo nu sexually
LransmlLLed lnfecLlons eaLlng dlsorders and subsLance abuse(8ewley Clbbs 2000) (8alrd 2002)
(Pomer 2006)
Lffects on fetus Mlscarrlage lnLrauLerlne deaLh premaLure blrLh low blrLh welghL (Ldln
Poegberg 2002) placenLal abrupLlon chorloamnlonlLls feLal ln[ury Lo llmbs an organs ( 8ewley
Clbbs 2000)
Lffects on ch||d Men LhaL abuse Lhelr parLners may also abuse chlldren Lven lf chlldren noL
physlcally abused Lhey wlLness or overhear abuse long lasLlng psychologlcal consequences (
8ewley Clbbs 2000)
hLLp//wwwvfpmsorgau/sLaglng/documenLs/lmpacLofexposureLodomesLlcvlolencepdf




S Woman appears frlghLened ashamed relucLanL Lo speak Lo dlsagree wlLh parLner
S arLner aLLends appolnLmenLs sLays close conLrols woman answers her quesLlons mocks
woman ln fronL of oLhers [ealous
S Woman Lrles Lo malnLaln appearance LhaL 'everyLhlng ls all rlghL' makes excuses for parLner
S Mlssed appolnLmenLs or always ln a hurry
S Dnhappy abouL pregnancy more worrled abouL labour blrLh wellbelng of baby and
moLherhood Lhan oLher women
S lear of Lhe Laklng of speclmens and physlcal examlnaLlon
S Mldwlfe may have an lnLulLlve feellng LhaL 'someLhlng ls wrong' LllzabeLh SLannard
Cromlsch

Abusers may resenL Lhe 'lnLruslon' of Lhe baby whlch Lhey feel LhreaLened by and angry Lowards
parLlcularly lf Lhey feel LhaL Lhey are no longer Lhe woman's cenLre of aLLenLlon

now can m|dw|ves recogn|se domest|c v|o|ence
1he woman may place blame on herself or make excuses for her parLner's acLlons Lhe woman may
place blame on herself for Lhe abuslve parLner acLlons lf Lhe woman ls emoLlonally numb or
helpless lf Lhe parLner bellLLles her around oLher people lf Lhe parLner speaks for Lhe woman and ls
heslLanL Lo leL her speak for herself
uunkley8enL (2008 p363) asserL LhaL when abuse ls suspecLed Lhe besL way Lo conflrm susplclon
ls by dlrecL quesLlonlng however mldwlves may also look for oLher lndlcaLors of an abuslve
relaLlonshlp Some key slgns LhaL may lndlcaLe LhaL a woman ls belng abused may conslsL of Lhe
parLner aLLendlng appolnLmenLs sLaylng close Lo Lhe woman asserLlng conLrol over Lhe woman by
speaklng for her and mocklng her ln fronL of oLhers Lhe woman may be anxlous and unhappy abouL
Lhe pregnancy she may also be more concerned abouL Lhe labour blrLh and moLherhood Lhan
oLher women she may also fear undergolng physlcal examlnaLlons and Lhe Laklng of speclmens
(Ldln Poegberg 2002 !ohnsLone 2003 8ewley Clbbs 2000) CLher slngs may lnclude Lhe
parLner dlsplaylng exLreme !ealousy Lowards Lhe woman and oLher people Lhls may lead Lo Lhe
parLner lsolaLlng Lhe woman from frlends and famlly Lhe woman may be ln a consLanL sLaLe of
alerLness LhaL makes lL dlfflculL for her Lo relax or sleep mlssed appolnLmenLs she may be ln hurry
Lhe mldwlfe herself may have an lnLulLlve feellng LhaL 'someLhlng ls wrong (uunkley8enL 2008
Cromlsch 2009 Ldln Poegberg 2002)
Woman appears frlghLened ashamed relucLanL Lo speak Lo dlsagree wlLh parLner
S arLner aLLends appolnLmenLs sLays close conLrols woman answers her quesLlons mocks
woman ln fronL of oLhers [ealous
S Woman Lrles Lo malnLaln appearance LhaL 'everyLhlng ls all rlghL' makes excuses for parLner
S Mlssed appolnLmenLs or always ln a hurry
S Dnhappy abouL pregnancy more worrled abouL labour blrLh wellbelng of baby and
moLherhood Lhan oLher women
S lear of Lhe Laklng of speclmens and physlcal examlnaLlon





1he lmpacL of domesLlc vlolence durlng pregnancy ls acknowledged Lo be an lmperaLlve and
conLrlbuLory facLor Lo maLernal and feLal morLallLy and morbldlLy Lherefore lL ls lmporLanL for
mldwlves Lo be educaLed and Lralned ln belng able Lo dlsLlngulsh physlcal slgns of domesLlc vlolence
Women who are ln abuslve relaLlonshlps may dlsplay physlcal problems relaLed Lo sLress Lhey may
have dlfflculLy sleeplng and ln exLreme cases aLLempL sulclde (Ldln Poegberg 2002 !ohnsLone
2003 8ewley Clbbs 2000) lurLher physlcal slngs lnclude subsLance abuse woman havlng ln[urles
LhaL are noL conslsLenL wlLh accldenLal causes or frequenL ln[urles and Lhe woman uslng accldenLs
as an excuse for Lhem (SmlLh Segal 2011) (uunkley8enL 2008) Mldwlves may wlLness old/new
brulslng and burn marks where Lhe woman glves no reasonable explanaLlons Lo how Lhey occurred
oLher physlcal slgns may lnclude pasL hlsLorles of preLerm labour and/or low blrLh welghL bables
frequenL complalnLs of vaglnal dlscharge vaglnal lnfecLlons and urlnary LracL lnfecLlons 8ewley
(2001 p 183) suggesLs LhaL women who suffer from domesLlc vlolence may have some physlcal
sympLoms such as vague somaLlc complalnLs eg headaches dlzzlness faLlgue chesL or pelvlc paln
anxleLy musculoskeleLal or gasLrolnLesLlnal sympLoms
S hyslcal problems relaLed Lo sLress
S Cbvlous ln[urles brulses burn marks wlLhouL reasonable explanaLlons
S PlsLory of mlscarrlages preLerm labour low blrLh welghL bables
S ulfflculLy sleeplng aLLempLed sulclde smoklng alcohol or drug abuse

now can m|dw|ves recogn|se domest|c v|o|ence (9hys|ca|)
some slgns of physlcal abuse may be Lhe woman havlng ln[urles LhaL are noL conslsLenL wlLh
accldenLal causes or frequenL ln[urles and Lhe woman uslng accldenLs as an excuse for Lhem
(SmlLh Segal 2011) (uunkley8enL 2008) 1he woman may dress ln cloLhlng LhaL wlll
conceal brulses/scars and oLher slgns of physlcal abuse Some vlcLlms of domesLlc vlolence
may also presenL wlLh some sympLoms LhaL may noL be caused by Lhe physlcal abuse Lhey
are sufferlng buL lnsLead Lhe sLress of llvlng wlLh Lhe sLress and pressure of belng ln a
abuslve relaLlonshlp Lhese sympLoms may lnclude headaches asLhma gasLrolnLesLlnal
sympLoms chronlc paln genlLal soreness pelvlc and back paln (SmlLh Segal 2011)
?**** Cld brulslng old burn marks***pasL hlsLorles of preLerm labour and or low blrLh
welghL bables frequenL complalnLs of vaglnal dlscharge vaglnal lnfecLlon pelvlc paln and
urlnary LracL lnfecLlons vague somaLlc complalnLs for example headaches dlzzlness faLlgue
chesL or pelvlc paln







Domestic abuse between spouses or intimate partners is when one person in a marital or intimate relationship tries to control the other
person. The perpetrator uses fear and intimidation and may threaten to use or may actually use physical violence. Domestic abuse that
includes physical violence is called domestic violence.
The victim of domestic abuse or domestic violence may be a man or a woman. Domestic abuse occurs in traditional heterosexual
marriages, as well as in same-sex partnerships. The abuse may occur during a relationship, while the couple is breaking up, or after the
relationship has ended.
S Lncouraglng women Lo seek help may make Lhelr slLuaLlon worse
S lear of noL belng able Lo 'flx' Lhe problem
S sychologlcal sLress felL by Lhe mldwlfe deallng wlLh domesLlc vlolence and lLs vlcLlms
S Lack of educaLlon and Lralnlng proLocols can lead Lo poor lnLervenLlon Lo women ln Lhls
slLuaLlon
S Mldwlves own vlews and ldeologles abouL domesLlc vlolence can lmpllcaLe pracLlce

mp||cat|ons for m|dw|fery pract|ce
Many mldwlves flnd LhaL rouLlne anLenaLal screenlng for domesLlc vlolence helpful however many
fear LhaL encouraglng Lhe woman Lo seek help may furLher escalaLe Lhe vlolence and make Lhe
slLuaLlon worse (WrlghL 2003) Mldwlves may also be heslLanL Lo query suspecLed domesLlc vlolence
as Lhey fear Lhey wlll noL be able Lo flx Lhe problem lack of educaLlon Lralnlng and proLocols can
also lead Lo poor lnLervenLlon Lo women who are sufferlng for domesLlc vlolence All mldwlves
should be educaLed ln Lhe slgnlflcance of domesLlc vlolence Lhe role of Lhe mldwlfe musL be
expressed Lhrough guldellnes and educaLlon and Lralnlng whlch wlll allow Lhe mldwlfe Lo
confldenLly ask abouL domesLlc vlolence and provlde Lhe supporL LhaL may be needed ln such cases
ln saylng LhaL Lhere have been many suggesLlons LhaL sLralghL sLandardlsed quesLlons should be puL
Lo all pregnanL women durlng Lhe anLenaLal care Lo lncrease Lhe dlsclosure of vlolence