Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Citizens for Midwifery has a great reminder up about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Like CfM blogger Molly, I'm passionate both about birth and about victims of domestic and sexual violence, which is why I volunteer for RAINN and plan to become a SANE at my earliest opportunity. I've always felt that the two go hand in hand: I care deeply about women, and can't stand to see them stripped of their power as women or as mothers. Additionally, there is evidence that abused women tend to choose midwifery care in larger numbers than nonabused women, likely in large part because they desire a cooperative and egalitarian relationship with someone who will relate to them in such an intimate way. For that reason, I feel like midwives have a huge role to play in supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence, and I would love to see SANE training become at least an optional part of every nurse-midwifery curriculum. Think of the difference it would make if each CNM in the country volunteered even a couple of hours a month to providing skilled, compassionate exams for rape victims.

Indeed, CfM Molly bemoans the lack of medical interest in an issue that threatens women's lives: "Three women each day in the U.S. are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends and 500 women each day are raped or sexually assaulted. Knowing this, I can't help but wonder why the AMA finds it worthwhile to target homebirth..." She also has some quotes about similarities between domestic violence and the violations many women experience while giving birth.

"Abuse in the medical setting is also about power and control, the pregnant or laboring woman is often blamed for her situation, and verbal and emotional abuse can be similar. Because we are taught to “trust your doctor”, and in fact there is an explicit assumption of trust in the “fiduciary relationship” between the woman and her doctor who is an “expert”, most of us do not think about the possibility of abuse, and many of us stay with the OB or feel we have no choice about our health care providers or settings, especially when we are in labor..."