Saints Memorial WomanHealth Family Violence Family violence may be one of America's most widespread health problems and yet one of the least reported. Abuse is forceful, controlling behavior that coerces a woman to do what the abuser wants without regard to her rights, body, or health. A woman is defined as abused if she has had intentional, usually repeated, physical or psychological harm done to her by a man with whom she is or has been in an intimate relationship.
Abuse can take any of several forms.
Abuse of women by male partners knows no socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, religious, or age barriers. Abusive episodes are very common in intimate relationships between men and women from all walks of life. And nearly half of those men who batter their female partners do so with brutal regularity-three or more times per year. And over one- third of female murder victims are killed by their male partners. Abuse During Pregnancy Pregnancy can be a time of increased emotional stress for both parents, and abuse often begins or increases during pregnancy.