Download Reproductive Coercion - Idaho Perinatal Project

Prevalence
• 1 in 4 women have been physically
and/or sexually assault by a current or
former partner
• 45.9% of women experiencing
physical abuse also disclose forced
sex by their partner
• 1 in 4 women report lifetime coerced
sex
Reproductive Coercion
Behaviors that a partner
uses to maintain power
and control in a
relationship related to
reproductive health
Reproductive Coercion
Types of reproductive coercion
• Birth Control Sabotage
• Pregnancy Pressure
• Pregnancy Coercion
Birth Control Sabotage
Birth Control Sabotage
• Hiding, withholding, or
destroying
• Breaking condoms
• Refusing to withdraw
• Forcing removal of rings,
IUD’s, and suppositories
Campbell et al, 1995; Coggins et al, 2003; Fanslow et al, 2008;
Lang et al, 2007; Miller et al, 2007; Wingood et al, 1997
Birth Control Sabotage
Miller et al, 2007
Birth Control Methods
Pregnancy Pressure
• “I’ll leave you unless you get pregnant.”
• “I’ll have a baby with someone else.”
• “I’ll hurt you if you don’t try and get pregnant”
Pregnancy Coercion
• Forcing a woman to carry to term
• Forcing a woman to terminate a
pregnancy
• Injuring a partner to cause
miscarriage
Reproductive Risks:
STI’s and HIV
• Multiple sex partners
• Inconsistent or nonuse of condoms
• Unprotected anal sex
• Partner with HIV
• Sex for money, drugs or shelter
• Injury from sexual assault
Creating a Safe Environment
• Have a written policy and provide training on IPV and
reproductive and sexual coercion
• Have a private place to talk with patients
• Display educational posters
• Have information available to patients
Having a Conversation
Scenario:
A provider seeing a client who is seeking contraceptive care should ask:
• If it is safe for her to talk with her partner about birth control.
• If the client says it is not safe to talk with her partner about birth control or
• She discloses birth control sabotage
The provider should focus the discussion on long-acting, reversible birth
control methods that are less vulnerable to partner detection and
interference.
Questions
“Has your partner ever messed with your birth control or
tired to get you pregnant when you didn’t want to be?”
“Does your partner refuse to use condoms when you ask
him to?”
“Has he ever tried to force or pressure you to become
pregnant when you didn’t want to be?”
“Are you afraid your partner will hurt you if you tell him you
have an STI and he needs to be treated?”
Family Violence Prevention Fund
What if they say?
• Yes to pregnancy pressure or birth control sabotage
• Yes to having difficult time negotiating condom use
with their partner
• Don’t know how to handle telling their partner about a
positive STI test result
Responding
• Validate patient’s experience
• Ask patient if they would like to talk to someone, such
as an advocate
• Provide referrals and safety cards
• Determine if there are any safety concerns
• Remember to Document, Document, Document
• Follow up with patient
Offering Options
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Idaho Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-669-3176
National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline 1-866-331-9474
RAINN (Rape, Incest National Network) 1-800-656-4673
Women's and Children's Alliance (WCA) 208-343-3688
Calling friend/relative
Thank You!
Kimberly Matulonis
Idaho Coalition Against Sexual
and Domestic Violence
(208) 384-0419 ext. 307
[email protected]