Domestic violence - BSUH Maternity

The government defines domestic abuse as:

Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse.

This includes issues of concern to black and minority ethnic (BME) communities such as so-called ‘honour’ based violence, female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage.

You are not alone

30% of domestic violence starts in pregnancy.
Two women are killed each week in England and Wales by a current or former partner.
On average a woman will be assaulted by a partner 35 times before reporting it to the police.

We are here to provide you with help and support

Characteristics of abusive relationships

Each intimate or family-like relationship is unique and so is each abusive relationship. However, the characteristics below will help you understand if your relationship is healthy.

The survivors experience repetitive, cyclic patterns of destructive or violent behaviours that tend to escalate over time.
Abusive relationships are based on power and control, gradually a non-abusive partner becomes accountable to an abusive partner in all or majority aspects of their life.
Extremely jealous behaviours may be used to say how much they love you and later may gradually isolate you from friends and family.
With time an abusive partner will use criticism to put a non-abusive partner down, make them feel unworthy. Criticism may be justified as a ‘cause to help’.
Domestic abuse may be in any part of society regardless of age, class, sexuality, culture/ethnicity, or religious group.

Myths

A relationship is only abusive if it involves physical violence
All people who become involved in abusive relationships grew up in abusive families
Victims who don’t leave an abusive relationship right away must have something wrong with them

How our staff respond to women who they may feel are victims of domestic abuse

As it is estimated that a third of domestic violence starts or escalates during pregnancy, all health professionals working with pregnant women have had training to understand what the needs of those at risk of experiencing domestic abuse are.

It is important for midwives to provide a supportive and enabling environment, where the issue of abuse is raised with every pregnant woman. They will also provide information about specialist agencies, thus enabling disclosure should a woman so choose.

Children are also at risk of harm if there is domestic abuse within a family, our professionals have to follow local and national safeguarding guidance.

The Children Act (1989 & 2004) places duties on the Local Authority in relation to children in need and children at risk of harm.

The Adoption & Children Act (2002) has amended the definition of ‘harm’ within the Children Act (1989) to include: “impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another.” i.e. witnessing domestic violence/abuse.

What to do if you feel you may be experiencing domestic abuse

Other useful contact details

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