EXTERNALLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
Responses to reproductive coercion: Perspectives of non-directive, all-options pregnancy counselling practitioners
Background
Reproductive coercion and abuse (RCA) is an often hidden yet increasingly recognised form of interpersonal violence. RCA often results in unintended pregnancy making it likely that counsellors who provide pregnancy decision-making counselling are working with people who experience RCA on a regular basis. Yet, little is known about how they identify and respond to disclosures of RCA nor whether current training, policies, legislation and referral pathways sufficiently address and support the appropriate responses to RCA.
Aim
The aim of the current study is to explore how staff working in non-directive, all-options pregnancy counselling identify and respond to disclosures of RCA, and in particular, what behaviours are being disclosed to staff that may constitute RCA and what their responses are if these behaviours are disclosed. We are also interested in how RCA is broached, what the common "red flags" are, and whether current policies, training, and referral pathways sufficiently address and support the appropriate responses to RCA.
Methods
This study utilises a combination of focus groups and interviews to explore how practitioners working in non-directive, all-options pregnancy counselling identify and respond to disclosures of reproductive coercion and abuse. Participants are being recruited from community organisations who, for a substantive part of their workload, help women and pregnant people with their pregnancy decision-making in their role as a non-directive, all-options pregnancy counselling practitioner. Data will be thematically analysed.