Intimate Partner Violence and Death Among Infants and Children in India

If mothers are experiencing domestic violence, they may be less likely to seek health care for their children for fear that health care practitioners may detect and report domestic violence to the authorities.

“Additionally, if mothers are experiencing domestic violence, they may be less likely to seek health care for their children for fear that health care practitioners may detect and report domestic violence to the authorities (Ackerson & Subramanian, 2009; Onyskiw, 2002; Rico, Fenn, Abramsky, & Watts, 2011).”

Exposure to domestic violence may also be an indicator that children are themselves experiencing abuse.

“Exposure to domestic violence may also be an indicator that children are themselves experiencing abuse (Ackerson & Subramanian, 2009; Olofsson et al., 2011), which is also associated with serious negative health outcomes (Hasselmann & Reichenheim, 2006).”

Regardless of gender, exposure to multiple types of IPV was strongly associated with infant death (RR = 1.49) and somewhat associated with child death (RR = 1.18).

“Findings from this study suggested that regardless of gender, exposure to multiple types of IPV was strongly associated with infant death (RR = 1.49) and somewhat associated with child death (RR = 1.18).”

Physical IPV against women was associated with child mortality (RR = 1.21) in a study in India of children under 5 years of age, although this relationship was not as strong for sexual and psychological forms of IPV.

“A study in India of children under 5 years of age found that physical IPV against women was associated with child mortality (RR = 1.21), although this relationship was not found to be as strong for sexual and psychological forms of IPV (Ackerson & Subramanian, 2009).”

Much of the research on children's exposure to domestic violence relies on maternal or primary caregiver reports of IPV and does not verify or corroborate these reports with children themselves or with official documents such as medical records.

“Much of the research on children's exposure to domestic violence relies on maternal or primary caregiver reports of IPV, and does not verify or corroborate these reports with those of children themselves, or with official documents such as medical records”