When Shelter Comes With Strings: The Rise of Coercive Maternity Homes
T.J. Raphael’s podcast “Liberty Lost” uncovers how faith-based maternity homes shaped adoption practices—and how their influence is growing in a post-Roe America.
When journalist and podcast producer T.J. Raphael began reporting on maternity homes, she encountered a story that was far more complex and far-reaching than she anticipated.
Her investigation started with Abbi Johnson, a woman who had once been sent to the Liberty Godparent Home, a maternity facility affiliated with Liberty University. Abbi described feeling pressured to place her child for adoption while at the home. This story became the catalyst for Raphael’s podcast, Liberty Lost, which follows the experiences of women who have gone through similar institutions.
“This series shows that it's an incredibly painful experience for women to go through,” Raphael said.
Through years of reporting, Raphael uncovered a pattern. The Liberty Godparent Home was not an isolated case but part of a larger, faith-based system designed to present adoption as the preferred alternative to abortion. These homes often served young women from evangelical families, many of whom had grown up in purity culture and felt constrained by the limited choices available to them.
Raphael’s research extended beyond individual stories. She explored Liberty University’s archival materials, analyzed historical and sociological studies about maternity homes, and reviewed past broadcasts from Liberty University’s founder, Jerry Falwell. Her work revealed that the Liberty Godparent Home was initially created as a response to the legalization of abortion, with its mission deeply tied to the anti-abortion movement.
The reporting also found that some maternity homes used scholarships as incentives to encourage adoption, and that emotional pressure often played a significant role in influencing young women’s decisions. Raphael documented how guilt and social expectations were embedded in these environments. That was apparent in the part in the podcast about another woman who went to the home and placed her child for adoption.
“She described a deeply challenging emotional state where she says that she thinks about her son all the time,” Raphael said. “She gave birth to him. Her body is different. She's conscious that there's a piece of her out there. She dreams about him.”
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Raphael observed that maternity homes have gained renewed traction, with significant growth reported by anti-abortion organizations. Some homes now report adoption rates far higher than the national average, raising questions about the degree of coercion involved. Raphael views these homes as part of a broader network that includes crisis pregnancy centers and faith-based adoption agencies, all of which work to direct women toward adoption.
She also highlighted a significant gap in support systems for pregnant women in vulnerable situations. In many cases, religiously affiliated maternity homes are the only widely available shelters, which positions them to have a profound influence on women’s choices. Raphael believes that the absence of secular alternatives leaves many women with few real options.
Her reporting reframes adoption as a reproductive justice issue, arguing that it is often overlooked in discussions about reproductive choice. Raphael emphasized that the separation of mother and child is rarely a simple decision and can lead to long-term emotional consequences. The podcast illustrates how women who initially supported adoption later struggled with deep grief and complicated feelings about their decision.
As maternity homes continue to grow in number, Raphael sees a need for broader, more inclusive support structures that empower pregnant people to make decisions free from coercion. She hopes her work will inspire a more holistic approach to reproductive justice, one that includes both the right to parent and the right to access abortion.
“If it can happen to her, I think it can happen to anyone,” Raphael said. “And so I just hope people listen to her story and feel connected to this issue.”