Final answer:
Battering, which can include both emotional and physical abuse, often begins before conception, although the exact timing can vary and may escalate during major life events. The correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
The initiation of battering—whether it is emotional harm or physical harm—for many women can begin at different stages of a relationship or life event. While there is no universal answer to this question, research indicates that intimate partner violence (IPV) can begin or escalate during significant life events, such as pregnancy or after the birth of a child.
IPV can include various forms of abuse, including psychological harm and physical harm as well as social exclusion and verbal taunting. Moreover, domestic violence and IPV have a higher incidence among those less capable of coping with stresses, like the stress of becoming a new parent.
Teenage mothers, for instance, have been shown to be more likely to abuse their children than their older counterparts, with children of very young mothers being at greater risk of maltreatment. However, the question provided has options concerning the timing related to conception and childbirth; given the information, the emotional or physical abuse known as battering often begins before conception.