“I Didn’t Have a Choice”: Experiences, Responses and Perceived Motivations for Reproductive Coercion and Abuse in Australian Women

This study explored reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) experiences of community-based victim/survivors, their responses to RCA, and perceived motivations for RCA. One hundred and one female RCA victim/survivors completed an online questionnaire. Intimate partners, family, friends, cultural/religi...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Humphreys, Tiffany (Author) ; Sheeran, Nicola (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2025
In: Violence against women
Year: 2025, Volume: 31, Issue: 15/16, Pages: 3795-3818
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
perpetrator motivations
reproductive autonomy
reproductive harm
reproductive coercion and abuse
Description
Summary:This study explored reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) experiences of community-based victim/survivors, their responses to RCA, and perceived motivations for RCA. One hundred and one female RCA victim/survivors completed an online questionnaire. Intimate partners, family, friends, cultural/religious leaders, and health professionals were RCA perpetrators. Victim/survivors’ RCA experiences were heterogeneous, incorporating a range of pregnancy-preventing and pregnancy-promoting RCA tactics. Women's response to RCA depended on how it was experienced; victim/survivors were more likely to reassert control when RCA was verbal and not physical. Finally, control was the primary motivator for RCA, followed by contextual factors, drug use, and religion/culture.
ISSN:1552-8448
DOI:10.1177/10778012241292265