An assessment of legal and societal responses to reproductive coercion in Australia

Abstract

Recently, various forms of domestic violence have commanded heightened public awareness and sparked legislative reforms. Nonetheless, one form of domestic violence that has gained very little attention is reproductive coercion. Reproductive coercion is any behaviour that interferes with the independent decision-making of a person regarding their reproductive health. Although it is not a new phenomenon, reproductive coercion was only recognised as a distinct form of domestic violence in a scientific study published in 2010. The scarcity of subsequent studies means that stakeholders, such as victims, health practitioners, policymakers and law enforcement officers are ill-equipped to understand and properly respond to reproductive coercion-related behaviour. Using legal research methodologies, this thesis will assess reproductive coercion within the broader legislative and societal framework of domestic violence. This thesis aims to address pertinent questions, such as whether the current policy and legislative environment within Australian jurisdictions adequately supports women's reproductive autonomy, and whether the existing health and societal responses are sufficient to effectively address reproductive coercion. In doing so, this thesis offers a comparative analysis of United Kingdom legislation and societal mechanisms to consider what lessons can be learnt for future legislative, policy and societal reform in Australia.

Date of Award	2022
Original language	English