Reproductive Coercion
A "Paper to Practice" Series
In these two short videos, we’ll be exploring research on reproductive coercion, a form of intimate partner violence in which someone attempts to control aspects of their partner’s pregnancy or reproductive outcomes. Dr. Sara McGirr shares evidence related to crime victim advocacy.
Episode 1:
What is Reproductive Coercion?
A brief history on research related to reproductive coercion.
Episode 2:
Reproductive Coercion and Advocacy
We talk with Dr. Sara McGirr about her research as well as what reproductive coercion is, who experiences it, and how advocates can support survivors.
Series Materials
The following research articles were referenced in the series:
Black, M.C., Basile, K.C., Breiding, M.J., Smith, S.G., Walters, M.L., Merrick, M.T.,Chen, J., & Stevens, M.R. (2011). The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS): 2010 Summary report. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/46305
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015, June 19). Intimate partner violence: Definitions. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html
McGirr, S.A., Bomsta, H.D., Vandegrift, C., Gregory, K., Hamilton, B.A., & Sullivan, C.M. (2020). An examination of domestic violence advocates’ responses to reproductive coercion. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 35, 9-10: 2082-2106. doi:10.1177/0886260517701451
National LGBTQ Taskforce. (2022). Queering reproductive health, rights, and justice. Retrieved from https://www.thetaskforce.org/queering-reproductive-justice/
Yerke, A.F., DeFeo, J. (2016). Redefining intimate partner violence beyond the binary to include transgender people. Journal of Family Violence, 31, 975–979. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-016-9887-y
Meet the Experts
Dr. Sara McGirr
Sara McGirr, PhD, is the Manager of the Office on Gender, Sexuality, & Violence within MPHI’s Center for Healthy Communities. She has over a decade of experience in cross-sector, community-driven efforts to engage partners, assess needs and assets, and use data to support violence prevention and intervention efforts.
Apryl Pooley is the Director of Training and Technical Assistance for the Michigan Victim Advocacy Network, a statewide project that supports crime victim advocates by offering trauma-informed training, networking opportunities, and other tools for working with victims/survivors.