Reproductive coercion is a form of violence that limits a person’s ability to make independent choices about when to have children. People experiencing this type of relationship abuse do not wish to be pregnant or bear children; however, their partner pressures them through physical, sexual, and/or psychological abuse tactics. Our work in the Threads Research Lab is focused on the intersection of IPV and reproductive justice.

Reproductive Coercion

RESEARCH

Decisions about when and how to have children should not be controlled by a partner or state wishing to have power over another.

Select Projects

Young Women’s Healthy Relationship Study: Exploring Reproductive Coercion, Mental Health, and HIV Risks among Young Adult Women, National Institutes of Mental Health (R25-MH087217) through Yale University 
In this 2 year project (2013-2015), we examined the prevalence of reproductive coercion among Black emerging adult women attending WIC clinics and employment training centers in Baltimore, Maryland.

Childbearing Motivation and Contraceptive Behaviors among Young Women with PID, (R011NE013507-04S1), Alexander (Trainee), M. Trent (PI), National Institute of Nursing Research
In this 2 year project (2015 - 2017), we examined the prevalence of reproductive coercion experiences and motivations for pregnancy among adolescents and young adult women diagnosed with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

Select Publications

Miller E., Grace K.T., Silverman J.G., Decker M.R., Alexander K.A. (in press) Reproductive Coercion in Adolescence. The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanchi/article/PIIS2352-4642%2823%2900293-6/fulltext

Grace, K. T., Glass, N. E., Miller, E., Alexander, K. A., Holliday, C. N., & Decker, M. R. (2022). Birth control sabotage motivation and measurement: a mixed-methods analysis among Latina women. Violence against women, 10778012221145292. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221145292

Grace, K. T., Alexander, K. A., Jeffers, N. K., Miller, E., Decker, M. R., Campbell, J., & Glass, N. (2020). Experiences of reproductive coercion among Latina women and strategies for minimizing harm:  “The path makes us strong”. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 65(2): 248-256. doi: 10.1111/jmwh.13061 https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.13061

Alexander, K.A., Willie, T.C., Campbell, J.C., Miller, E., Decker, M.R. (2019).Associations between reproductive coercion, partner violence and mental health symptoms among young Black women in Baltimore, Maryland. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. doi: 10.1177/0886260519860900 https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260519860900

Willie, T.C., Alexander, K.A., Amutah-Onukagha, N., Kershaw, T.S. (2019). Effects of reproductive coercion on young couples’ parenting behaviors and child development: A dyadic perspective. Journal of Family Psychology, 33(6), 682-689. doi: 10.1037/fam0000546 https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2019-39493-001

Alexander, K.A., Perrin, N., Jennings, J., Ellen, J., Trent, M. (2018). Childbearing motivations and desires, fertility beliefs, and contraceptive use among urban African-American adolescents and young adults with STI histories. Journal of Urban Health. doi: 10.1007/s11524-018-0282-2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-018-0282-2

Zemlak, J.L., White, R.H., Nestadt, D.F., Alexander, K.A., Park, J.N, Sherman, S.G. (2021). Interpersonal violence and contraceptive method use by women sex workers. Women’s Health Issues, 31(6), 516-522. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2021.08.001

Willie, T.C., Alexander, K.A., Caplon, A., Kershaw, T.S., Safon, C.B., Galvao, R.W., Kaplan, C., Caldwell, A., Calabrese, S.K. (2021). Birth control sabotage as a correlate of women’s sexual health risk: An exploratory study. Women’s Health Issues. doi: lo 10.1016/j.whi.2020.10.003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.whi.2020.10.003

Grace, K.T., Glass, N.E., Miller, E., Alexander, K.A., Holliday, C.N., Decker, M.R. (in press) Birth control sabotage motivation and measurement: A mixed-methods analysis among Latina women. Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012221145292

Collaborations

Find out more about how to support reproductive justice initiatives led by women of color!

Sistersong Reproductive Justice Collective

SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities

Black Women’s Health Imperative

BWHI is the first and only national non-profit solely dedicated to achieving health equity for Black women in America. Founded in 1983 by Byllye Y. Avery as the National Black Women’s Health Project at a conference on the campus of Spelman College, BWHI has evolved into a nationally recognized organization leading health policy, education, research, knowledge and leadership development and communications designed to improve the healthy outcomes of Black women.