Investigate maternal and paternal risk factors for violence during pregnancy: lasting impact for everyone

Globally, one in three women are estimated to experience physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence during their lifetime. Pregnancy is a life-changing time, when violence might subside, occur for the first time or intensify.

Abuse and its consequences can be severe for both mother and children, and cascade into the next generation.IMPROVE_LIFEs aim is to understand the risk and protective factors for violence during pregnancy, its short and long-term effects and intergenerational impact.This project proposes the first theorization and empirical assessment of violence during pregnancy, its intergenerational transmission, and health and social effects using clinically tested biomarkers.

It will synthesize new and existing intergenerational cohort data from diverse settings: Bangladesh and the UK, use pooled multi-country survey datasets and qualitative evidence.IMPROVE_LIFE will address five objectives: 1) investigate the short- and long-term social and health effects of violence during pregnancy on women and their children, 2) explore if violence during pregnancy is a marker for severe violence, 3) study maternal and paternal risk factors for the transmission of violence to their children, 4) elicit male and female experiences and views of the causes of violence during pregnancy, and 5) provide evidence on the global applicability of established pathways explaining violence during pregnancy.The fundamental gains for the protection of women and prevention of violence emerging from this ambitious research programme are immense.

The high risks arising from following a cohort after two decades, integrating clinically collected biomarkers and male voices are addressed by a dedicated and experienced PI and team and robust research approaches.

The new empirically tested, ecological theoretical framework will be vital to inform policy, prevention and response programmes addressing violence during pregnancy, thereby improving lives.