It is unfortunately more common then you might think.
Becoming pregnant is not a way to stop violence in the home, indeed some studies suggest that incidences of violence actually increase during pregnancy. Getting a partner pregnant can often be part of the abusive process.
In general terms women who are pregnant often feel more attached to the relationship and consider it harder to break away. They see themselves as more vulnerable on their own and wonder how they would cope going through the pregnancy on their own. This is exactly what the abusive man has aimed to do. It could be that the man has bullied the woman into pregnancy or even has denied his partner access to contraception.
However, in the abuser’s eyes, a pregnant woman is less likely to leave the relationship, less likely to raise the alarm and the man now has more opportunities to act out against the woman. As the pregnancy develops, the woman may well become more and more dependant on the abusive man as she is physically unable to perform some tasks and will require a higher level of medical care.
Physical violence does not only affect the woman but also the unborn child. Studies have shown that during pregnancy the perpetrator often focuses attacks on the breasts, genitals and abdomen.
It is a common myth that the violence will cease when the woman becomes pregnant. In many, many cases this simply is not true. An abuser very often will continue to abuse throughout the course of the pregnancy.