Michaela Seitz
Research Mentor: Jonny Lifshitz
Mentor Department: Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Medicine
Author(s): Not Available
Session: Session 6 (3:00 PM – 3:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 5
Abstract
Throughout history, laws have offered minimal protection to women, making health care and legal issues pervasive, including in the United States. Beyond general health care and protections for women, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) policies provide inadequate protections, especially to a specialized vulnerable group, pregnant women. Pregnancy elevates risk of physical/psychological harm, predominantly from an intimate partner, with possible adverse fetal/maternal outcomes. This project researches laws in the State of Michigan pertaining to pregnant individuals focusing on cases of violence. Within existing laws, specific charges and sentencing outcomes will be evaluated for the perpetrator depending on the pregnancy status of the individual, with aftereffects on the victim and fetus. To gather this data, we’ve read state documents and spoken with experts on the topic. Our next step is to get past the gatekeepers of the information and secure access to content and capture data so we can report on specific numbers and incidents. In pursuit of this project, no central repository for legal case outcomes, civil or criminal, exists. The approach will necessarily require separate queries of town, city, county documents. Professional impression from subject matter experts indicates that sentencing may be elevated for the perpetrator when the victim is pregnant and for second offenses or with harm to the fetus.
