“Discuss a current public health issue and the midwifes role in relation to this. – Domestic abuse. BSc (Hons) Midwifery, Role of the midwife in public health, Kingston University London. Level of Assessment 5”

With 1300 calls per day reporting DA to the police (Womens Aid, 2006), it is estimated that around one in four women in the UK are victims (Refuge, 2014a; Womens Aid, 2006). In pregnancy, DA increases by a staggering 30% (NHS, 2012; Refuge, 2014b), putting pregnant women and unborn babies in danger.  Two women per week are killed by their partner or ex-partner (GOV.UK, 2011) and sadly, DA has been the subject of a separate chapter in the last three triennial Confidential Enquiry into maternal mortality reports, (CEMACH, 2004, p207; CEMACH, 2007, p179; CMACE 2011,p146). There is no evidence to suggest that prevalence of DA varies by socio-economic class, and women from all backgrounds, social classes and ethnic groups experience it (CMACE, 2011, p146). In the last 30 years DA has gained widespread recognition as a serious criminal, medical and social problem, with the Home Office is…(short extract)