Women who experience intimate partner violence often experience birth control sabotage, forced sex, and partner’s unwillingness to use condoms. We interviewed 53 women at four domestic violence shelters. Participants reported that their abusive partners frequently refused to use condoms, impeded them from accessing health care, and subjected them to birth control sabotage, infidelity, and forced sex. However, women also reported strategies to counteract these actions, particularly against birth control sabotage and attempts to force them to abort or continue a pregnancy. Domestic violence counselors can focus on these successful strategies to validate coping skills and build self-esteem.
Amaro, H. ( 1995). Love, sex, and power: Considering women’s realities in HIV prevention. American Psychologist, 50, 437-447.
2.
Center for Impact Research. (2000). Domestic violence and birth control sabotage: A report from the Teen Parent Project. Chicago: Author.
3.
Coker, A.L., McKeown, R.E., Sanderson, M., Davis, K.E., Valois, R.F., & Huebner, E.S. ( 2000). Severe dating violence and quality of life among South Carolina high school students. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 19, 220-227.
4.
Coker, A.L., Sanderson, M., Fadden, M.K., & Pirisi, L. ( 2000). Intimate partner violence and cervical neoplasia. Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 9, 1015-1023.
5.
Cunningham, R.M., Stiffman, A.R., Dore, P., & Earls, F. ( 1994). The association of physical and sexual abuse with HIV risk behaviors in adolescence and young adulthood: Implications for public health. Child Abuse and Neglect, 18, 233-245.
6.
El-Bassel, N., Gilbert, L., Witte, S., Wu, E., Gaeta, T., Schilling, R., et al. (2003). Intimate partner violence and substance abuse among minority women receiving care from an inner-city emergency department . Women’s Health Issues, 13, 16-22.
7.
El-Bassel, N., Gilbert, L., Wu, E., Go, H., & Hill, J. ( 2005). HIV and intimate partner violence among methadone-maintained women in New York City. Social Science and Medicine, 61, 171-183.
8.
Family Violence Prevention Fund. (2009). Know more. Available from http://www.knowmoresaymore.org
9.
Gazmararian, J.A., Adams, M.M., Saltzman, L.E., Johnson, C.H., Bruce, F.C., Marks, J.S., et al. (1995). The relationship between pregnancy intendedness and physical violence in mothers of newborns: The PRAMS Working Group. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 85, 1031-1038.
10.
Khan, M.A. ( 1996). Factors affecting use of contraception in Matlab, Bangladesh . Journal of Biosocial Science, 28, 265-279.
11.
Krishnan, V. ( 1993). Gender of children and contraceptive use. Journal of Biosocial Science, 25, 213-221.
12.
Mwageni, E.A., Ankomah, A., & Powell, R.A. ( 2001). Sex preference and contraceptive behaviour among men in Mbeya region, Tanzania. Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care, 27, 85-89.
13.
Raj, A., Liu, R., Cleary-Sills, J., & Silverman, J.G. (2005). South Asian victims of intimate partner violence more likely than non-victims to report sexual health concerns. Journal of Immigrant Health, 7, 85-91.
14.
Saha, U.R., & Bairagi, R. ( 2007). Inconsistencies in the relationship between contraceptive use and fertility in Bangladesh. International Family Planning Perspectives, 33, 31-37.
15.
Saleem, A., & Pasha, G.R. ( 2008). Women’s reproductive autonomy and barriers to contraceptive use in Pakistan. European Journal of Contraceptive and Reproductive Health Care, 13, 83-89.
16.
Silverman, J.G., Raj, A., Mucci, L.A., & Hathaway, J.E. (2001). Dating violence against adolescent girls and associated substance use, unhealthy weight control, sexual risk behavior, pregnancy, and suicidality. Journal of the American Medical Association, 286, 572-579.
17.
Soler, H., Quadagno, D., Sly, D.F., Riehman, K.S., Eberstein, I.W., & Harrison, D.F. (2000). Relationship dynamics, ethnicity and condom use among low-income women. Family Planning Perspectives, 32, 82-88, 101.
18.
Wingood, G.M., DiClemente, R.J., Harrington, K.F., Lang, D.L., Davies, S.L., Hook, E.W., III, et al. (2006). Efficacy of an HIV prevention program among female adolescents experiencing gender-based violence. American Journal of Public Health, 96, 1085-1090.
19.
Wingood, G.M., DiClemente, R.J., McCree, D.H., Harrington, K., & Davies, S.L. ( 2001). Dating violence and the sexual health of black adolescent females. Pediatrics, 107, E72.
20.
Wingood, G.M., DiClemente, R.J., & Raj, A. ( 2000). Identifying the prevalence and correlates of STDs among women residing in rural domestic violence shelters. Women’s Health, 30, 15-26.
