At Birthright, we realize there are varying reasons why an unplanned pregnancy may elevate to the status of ‘crisis’; one of those is when pregnancy occurs in the midst of a domestic violence situation. Sadly, 1 in 4 women in America will experience physical violence at the hands of their intimate partner during their lifetime.

Up Next: Teen To Teen: How To Identify A Toxic Relationship In Your Life

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, pregnancy is the 2nd most dangerous time in an abusive relationship. Pregnancy can escalate the risk of abuse especially if the pregnancy was unplanned. Sometimes the partner may be jealous of the attention given to a woman or her baby to be. There may also be increased stress due to financial hardships that pregnancy may bring can heighten the risk.Read More