Reproductive Control Among Women with Violent Partners in Paraguay

In this qualitative study, we explore the presence of reproductive control as a form of intimate partner violence (IPV). An intentional sample of 30 women in heterosexual couples was interviewed in two clinical settings of the capital and its suburban area. The results of the fieldwork showed that, as put forward by our theoretical framework, reproductive control is practiced by many violent partners in several forms that included forced sex, contraceptive sabotage, pregnancy promotion, violence during pregnancy, and forcing women to abort against their will. IPV is not exclusive of a certain social class and it is part of a complex system of relationships characterized by partner's aggressions in different contexts. Perpetrators of IPV come from different milieus, educational levels, and occupations as do their victims.