VIOLENCE AND PREGNANCY - A NOTE ON THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM AND NEEDED SERVICES

• NCJ Number: 34252
• Journal: FAMILY COORDINATOR Dated: (JANUARY 1975) Pages: 81-86
• Author(s): R J GELLES
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: National Council on Family Relations
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

THIS PAPER EXAMINES THE PHENOMENON OF VIOLENCE TOWARD PREGNANT WIVES AND POSITS THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT VIOLENCE IN PREGNANCY IS COMMON ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED AN IMPORTANT EMPIRICAL ISSUE BY RESEARCHERS.

Abstract

THE AUTHOR PROPOSES THAT THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO PREGNANT WIVES BEING ASSAULTED BY THEIR HUSBANDS: SEXUAL FRUSTRATION; FAMILY TRANSITION, STRESS, AND STRAIN; BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN THE WIFE; PRENATAL CHILD ABUSE; AND DEFENSELESSNESS OF THE WIFE. SOME SUGGESTED STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH VIOLENCE AND PREGNANCY ARE DISCUSSED INCLUDING PLANNED PARENTHOOD, PREPARATION FOR PARENTHOOD, FAMILY CRISIS CENTERS, AND THE FULFILLMENT OF BASIC NEEDS. IN TERMS OF PROVIDING FAMILY SERVICES AND FOR DEVELOPING POLICIES OF INTERVENTION IN FAMILIES WHERE VIOLENCE OCCURS, THE AUTHOR FEELS THAT IS IS IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE CRISIS AND TRANSITIONS OF PARENTHOOD BEGIN DURING THE PREGNANCY AND NOT ONLY AFTER THE CHILD IS BORN.