Peer-reviewed article
A Theoretical Model of Reproductive Coercion and Abuse and Legal Entrapment: Barriers to Health, Safety, and Well-being for Mothers and Children.
Spearman KJ, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Guillaume D, Miyamoto S, Alexander KA et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed article presents a theoretical framework for understanding reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) as a form of violence against women. The model examines how RCA intersects with legal entrapment and gendered immobility to create barriers to health and safety. The framework integrates feminist and reproductive justice theories within a socio-ecological perspective, identifying obstacles at societal, community, and interpersonal levels. The authors argue this model can advance research, practice, and policy to improve outcomes for mothers and children affected by RCA.
Key points
- Reproductive coercion and abuse interferes with a woman's reproductive autonomy and freedom
- RCA contributes to adverse health and economic consequences for mothers and children
- Barriers to health exist at multiple levels: societal, community, and interpersonal
- Legal entrapment and gendered immobility are key mechanisms linking RCA to poor outcomes
- The model integrates feminist and reproductive justice theories with socio-ecological frameworks
Limitations
This is a theoretical paper that proposes a framework rather than empirical research; it does not present data on the prevalence of RCA, test the model's effectiveness, or provide evidence on specific outcomes for children.
Abstract
Purpose This purpose of this article is to encourage the adoption of a theoretical model that centers the ways in which experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) intersect with legal entrapment, gendered immobility, and adverse health consequences. This framework integrates disparate bodies of scholarship that have been neglected in prior examinations of RCA in order to provide a heuristic tool for research, practice, and policy. Methods The authors discuss the existing literature on RCA and propose a theoretical model informed by feminist and reproductive justice theories, embedded in a socio-ecological model highlighting structural and social determinants of health. Results Reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) is a form of violence against women that interferes with a woman's reproductive autonomy and freedom, contributing to adverse health and economic consequences. In the context of RCA, barriers to health exist at the societal level, community level, and interpersonal level resulting in legal entrapment and gendered immobility. Conclusion This multi-level theoretical model integrates disparate scholarly lines of inquiry around RCA, gendered immobility, legal entrapment, and can serve to move the science forward on RCA to promote the health and well-being of mothers and children.