November is Family Violence Awareness Month in Canada. Family violence refers to all forms of interpersonal conflict that can occur within the home environment, including both intimate partner violence and child abuse. Communities across Canada are developing awareness campaigns and hosting events to increase community awareness about this issue.
Despite increased public awareness and a decreased overall community tolerance for violence, intimate partner violence is still very common. In fact, 1/4 of all Canadians report being abused by their partners. These numbers are likely even higher as this form of abuse is often not discussed and statistics are only gathered through medical records and access to supportive programming.
No one ever deserves abuse; abuse is never justified. Abusers often claim provocation to avoid responsibility for their own behaviour. Violence is the choice of the abuser. Victims often state that they have changed behaviours, choices, or decisions in order to avoid abuse or avoid provoking the abuser.
Abuse occurs when the perpetrator (abuser) attempts to gain control and power over other family members. Abusers often use a variety of methods in order to do this. The abuser is an active participant making conscious choices regarding his or her behaviours. Individual incidents of abuse often are not predictable or do not have an obvious reason behind them. Instead, the abuse as a whole functions to establish a relationship where the perpetrator is in control and has the power.
Pregnant women have a higher risk of experiencing violence during pregnancy than they do of experiencing problems such as high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or premature rupture of membranes. The incidence of violence during pregnancy may range from 4% to 17%, depending on the study and in what setting the information was gathered. For example, gathering statistics through women's shelters only captures the small number of women who seek help from such services.
Women who are abused during pregnancy are four times as likely as other women to say they experienced very serious violence (beating, choking, gun/knife threats, and sexual assaults). Abuse during pregnancy can cause direct or indirect injury to the fetus. The abuse can result in:
Miscarriage
Stillbirth
Separation of the placenta
Broken bones in the fetus
Preterm labour and delivery
Premature rupture of the membranes, increasing the risk of infection and preterm delivery
Hemorrhage in the fetus
Neonatal death
Low birth weight
Stress responses caused by abuse can also have health risks for a pregnant woman and her developing baby. The physical consequences of stress include:
Distressed nervous system and hormones
Elevated blood pressure
Decreased blood flow to the uterus and fetus
Increased risk of infection, preterm labour and delivery
Release of maternal B-endorphin, which can impact the development of fetal nervous tissue
Silence is one of the reasons that Intimate Partner Violence continues within our communities. As communities and individuals, we can help put an end to intimate partner violence. By raising awareness, increasing personal understanding, and talking about violence openly in communities, we create a supportive environment for those who need assistance. Individuals and communities can and should take a firm stand against this form of violence.
