National Domestic Violence Hotline reports reproductive coercion calls doubled
Reproductive coercion deals with forcing a partner to carry on with a pregnancy
The National Domestic Violence Hotline has seen its calls, texts, and chats reporting reproductive coercion double in the past year.
The actual figure stands at 99 percent. Reproductive coercion is a form of abuse in which one partner causes harm, exerting power and control over the other related to reproductive health. It may include explicit attempts to impregnate a partner against their will, control the outcomes of pregnancy, coerce a partner to engage in sexual or unprotected sexual activity, refuse to use contraception or to sabotage it, restrict a partner from seeing a health care provider, and/or keeping them from making critical health care decisions.
Marium Durrani, vice president of policy for the hotline, said experiencing domestic violence can also lead to reproductive rights violations and is closely linked to key reproductive health indicators.
“Central to one’s control over their own lives, safety, and health is the right to control their own body. The right to access reproductive health care, including safe and legal abortion, is essential to living a life free from violence.”
Durrani attributes the increase in calls to raised awareness about domestic violence and abuse. The pandemic led to an increase in services. Abortion restrictions, criminalization, and related laws have a far-reaching and devastating impact on survivors who are seeking sexual and reproductive health care.
“More survivors are identifying reproductive coercion as part of their abuse and accessing reproductive health care in the face of restrictions also limits their options for safety,” Durrani said.
Durrani said newly passed abortion laws and lack of consistent protections offer abusive partners a wide array of options to exert control over their partner. Utilizing systems of support that “should” be helping survivors, like healthcare or criminal justice systems, to harm or control a partner is a very effective way of isolating survivors from sources of support and aid.
“Access to reproductive healthcare is now on a state-by-state basis,” Durrani said. “Traveling for many will not be an option because their partner won’t permit them to and/or they don’t have access to the resources. A person’s health outcomes will now depend on where they are located instead of their own health choices and health care provider’s recommendations, further stripping their agency.”
Those in need of help can call the hotline at 1-800-799-7233