Purpose
The purpose of this module is to highlight the effects of domestic violence on pregnant women and children. Pregnant women are especially susceptible to batterer’s abusive behaviors, both physically and emotionally. Batterers often target the abdomen and breasts for physical abuse during pregnancy and the emotional stresses associated with such abuse can also cause serious distress to the fetus. Young children living in violent homes also suffer emotionally as well as physically.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, WIC and other health/nutrition program staff will be able to:
     1. Describe how battering during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight babies.
     2. Describe how battering during pregnancy contributes to trauma to the fetus and its
         mother.
     3. Understand different theoretical perspectives describing how domestic violence impacts
         children.
     4. Identify ways in which children of different ages are drawn into domestic violence
         episodes as well as the effects and consequences for nutrition.