Nearly 1 in 4 people giving birth during first COVID-19 lockdown dealt with abusive partner: Ottawa Hospital study

A new study is showing that 24 per cent of people who gave birth during the spring lockdown in 2020 encountered abusive behaviour from their partner before, during or after their pregnancy.

According to the Ottawa Hospital study, nearly a quarter of the 216 respondents experienced forms of abusive behaviour during their perinatal period, including having their whereabouts controlled or contact with friends and family limited.

Study lead and Senior Research Associate at The Ottawa Hospital Dr. Katherine Muldoon explains, those with a median household income below the average of $119,440 per year are three times more likely to encounter intimate partner violence.

“I think the reason for that is just the relation between socioeconomic status and violence is very well established, and this just gets exemplified during COVID,” Dr. Muldoon told CityNews Ottawa.

She adds, however, there were few cases of physical and sexual assault reported in this report.

Studies conducted before the pandemic estimated that roughly three to nine percent of people experienced intimate partner violence during their perinatal period.

The Ottawa Hospital says those who encounter abusive behaviour from their partner and who gave birth at the hospital can return for help. Additionally, those in need can head to the Ottawa Victims Services or the Monarch Centre. 

This study was conducted in partnership with the hospital's Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Newborn Care and Emergency Medicine departments and the Obstetrics Maternal and Newborn Investigations Research Group.