(2) what research the Teenage Pregnancy Unit has conducted into the proportion of pregnant teenagers who are victims of (a) rape and (b) domestic violence.
The Teenage Pregnancy Unit in the Department does not have responsibility to develop measures to combat, or respond to, incidents of violence against women generally. This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.
No research has been commissioned by the Department for Children, Schools and Families specifically into the proportion of pregnant teenagers who are the victims of rape and domestic violence. However, we know from research that the Teenage Pregnancy Unit in the Department has done those teenagers experiencing coercive and exploitative relationships are at much greater risk of early pregnancy. That is why in ‘Teenage Pregnancy Next Steps: Guidance for Local Authorities and Primary Care trusts on Effective Delivery of Local Strategies’ published by DFES in 2006 we emphasised that LAs should have mechanisms in place to identify the young woman most at risk of such relationships and early pregnancy.