Violence during pregnancy: Preliminary findings

Domestic violence has been a highlighted concern for some years. This has resulted in governments now providing recurrent funding for a range of domestic violence service provisions. The funding of services has given rise to a significant shift in service delivery, moving from volunteers staffing services to the development of specialised professional expertise in a range of domestic violence service provisions.

A number of years practice experience in the field, together with a review of the literature, leads to the conclusion that pregnancy may be a vulnerable time for some women whose partners choose to use violence. This has grave implications for the short, medium and long term health and welfare of these women and children.