Born into Violence: Immediate Impacts of Domestic Violence on Children during the Prenatal and Early Childhood Periods

Background and Purpose: Domestic violence (DV) remains a critical social work and public health issue worldwide, with approximately one in three women experiencing intimate partner violence over their lifetime (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Research has extensively documented women’s experiences and children’s long-term developmental consequences of DV exposure (Holt et al., 2008). However, limited research examines the immediate and early-life health impacts of DV during pregnancy and infancy, particularly in low-resource, patriarchal contexts. Guided by life course and feminist-informed perspectives, this study examines how DV directly shapes children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, and caregiving environments at the earliest stages of life. We investigate the immediate effects of domestic violence on children’s health, safety, and wellbeing during prenatal and early childhood periods.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 21 mothers who experienced spousal violence during pregnancy and the postpartum period. We recruited participants through two service-based organizations (a government Women Support Center and a legal aid NGO) in Sylhet, Bangladesh, using convenience sampling appropriate for vulnerable populations. We audio-recorded and transcribed interviews verbatim. We analyzed the data using a rigorous inductive thematic analysis, applying iterative coding, theme development, and analytic validation to ensure credibility and depth.

Results: Our findings show that DV produces immediate, intersecting harms across biological, psychological, and caregiving systems. First, violence during pregnancy directly compromises fetal and infant health, resulting in miscarriage, birth complications, and infant mortality. Second, children who witness assaults, threats, and maternal victimization experience acute psychological distress, including fear, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation. Third, perpetrators restrict access to essential resources such as food, care, and support, which leads to neglect, malnutrition, and elevated health risks among infants and young children. Finally, ongoing threats of divorce, forced separation, and displacement destabilize caregiving environments, disrupt early attachment processes, and intensify children’s vulnerability. Together, these findings demonstrate that DV operates as an immediate, multi-system threat to child wellbeing, not only as a long-term risk.

Conclusions and Implications: This study advances social work knowledge by reframing domestic violence as an urgent maternal child health and child protection issue occurring in real time. Our findings call for integrated, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive responses that address maternal safety and early childhood wellbeing simultaneously. In resource-constrained settings such as Bangladesh where formal social work systems remain limited legal aid services, government institutions, and non-governmental support services play a critical role in identifying and responding to domestic violence. Strengthening coordination across these systems and expanding accessible support mechanisms are essential to protect mothers and children. These findings also inform global social work and child welfare systems, emphasizing early intervention in contexts shaped by domestic violence and structural inequalities. Future research should examine how early exposure to DV shapes developmental trajectories and evaluate interventions targeting this critical period.