Domestic violence often continues during pregnancy, often occurring for the first time, and may become targeted to abdominal and genital areas. The 1996 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey, Women’s Safety Australia found that 23% of women had experienced either physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. Of the women who reported abuse, 42% were abused when pregnant; 20 % of them for the first time.

A Queensland study of over 1000 women presenting to an antenatal clinic found that almost a third (29.7%) had experienced abuse. In 80% of these cases the male abuser was an intimate partner or ex partner. Nearly 9% of women experienced abuse in their current pregnancy; 20% said they first experienced abuse while pregnant.

The severity of abuse the women reported was very concerning: 

• 23.5% were slapped, pushed or shoved 
• 13.2% kicked bitten or hit with fist
• 12% damage to property or pets
• 5.8% serious threats to life
• 5.6% choked strangled
• 3.7% hurt with knife or gun
• 4.7% ticked all categories

Mahoney and Williams (1998) note studies that suggest the timing of male intimate partner rape often correlates with women having been in hospital, most often because of childbirth. Women in Bergen ’s study (1996) described partners insisting on having intercourse soon after they have given birth in spite of doctor’s advice to abstain.