Community Partner
Unique Challenges for Domestic Violence Survivors Who Identify As LGBTQIA+
June 16, 2022
September 3, 2021
Reproductive Coercion is AbuseReproductive coercion is an extremely dangerous tactic abusers use to gain power and control over survivors’ reproductive health and reproductive decisions. Essentially, this form of abuse is when an abuser controls any reproductive choices a survivor is making or intentionally disregards a reproductive choice or boundary their partner has made.
It is not uncommon for abusers to force a survivor to stay with them by using reproductive coercion, and they can do this by hiding or destroying their birth control, tampering with other forms of contraception, barring survivors from accessing healthcare, or avoiding taking them to the doctor. When survivors cannot access the proper resources to get help, it can lead to dangerous procedures, mental health deterioration, suicide, and so much more.
Some of the key warning signs include
Let’s look at the data:
The safest ways you can support victims of reproductive coercion are offering to listen to them without judgment, offering support, allow them to make decisions regarding their safety and needs, and providing them with resources.
If this information is reflective of your relationship, please consider calling our 24-hour hotline at (727) 895-4912 or talking to an advocate through our chat feature at www/casapinellas.org/chat.
Sources: The World Health Organization, Rolling Stone, BMC Medicine Journal, The National Institute for Medicine, Family Planning, and American College for Obstetricians and Gynecologists