Male Perpetration of Intimate Partner Violence and Involvement in Abortions and Abortion-Related Conflict

摘要

Men aged 18 to 35 years (n = 1318) completed assessments of perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV), abortion involvement, and conflict regarding decisions to seek abortion. IPV was associated with greater involvement by men in pregnancies ending in abortion and greater conflict regarding decisions to seek abortion. IPV should be considered within family planning and abortion services; policies requiring women to notify or obtain consent of partners before seeking an abortion should be reconsidered; they may facilitate endangerment and coercion regarding such decisions. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health issue that affects the lives and health of approximately 20% to 25% of adolescent and adult US women, 1 , 2 with women of reproductive age at greatest risk. 3 , 4 Major reproductive health concerns associated with experiences of IPV include unintended 5 and rapid repeat pregnancies. 6 – 8 Given that unintended and unwanted pregnancies are the primary reason for seeking abortion, 7 , 9 abused women are thought to be more likely to experience abortion than are their nonabused counterparts. 10 – 12 Recent qualitative research suggests there is a broad role played by abusive male partners in controlling women's reproductive health, 13 – 15 including attempts to control abortion-related decisions. 13 , 15 However, quantitative data on this issue have primarily been collected from women attending abortion services, which therefore precludes comparisons to women with no abortion history. 10 – 12 Given the increasing recognition of the role of male partners in controlling a woman's reproductive health and decision-making, coupled with the continuing public debate concerning both women's access to abortion and the role of family members in decisions regarding abortion (e.g., spousal consent), 16 it is critical to understand to what extent abuse from male partners may relate to both women's seeking abortion and coercion regarding abortion-related decisions. We examined the association of young adult men's reports of perpetration of IPV and their participation in pregnancies ending in abortion as well as conflict surrounding abortion-related decisions.