“I did whatever they wanted me to do”: a qualitative secondary analysis using reproductive justice to explore sexual violence among justice-involved Latina mothers

Abstract

Background One in three women experience sexual violence during their lifetime; however, little is known about this phenomenon with respect to justice-involved Latina mothers. Using the reproductive justice framework as a theoretical lens, we examined sexual violence in Latina mothers who had experienced incarceration and were thus involved in the justice system. Methods This was a secondary analysis of a qualitative data set. The reproductive justice framework provided a theoretical lens for examining the women’s rights to bodily autonomy, to have or not have children, and to live in safe, sustainable environments given the intersection of incarceration and sexual violence. Results Women (N = 12) recounted their experiences of sexual violence after having been incarcerated. Incarceration and resulting sexual violence led to discrimination, limited bodily autonomy, sexual exploitation, substance use, depression, anxiety, re-traumatization, recidivism, underreporting of violence, underutilization of healthcare resources, strained relationships, family separation, and unsafe environments. Conclusions More research is needed to understand the social, economic, and political contexts that perpetuate sexual violence among justice-involved women. Universal healthcare, participatory research, changing cultural mindsets, decriminalization of sex work, and more comprehensive tracking and prosecution of sexual predators may be key to ending sexual violence in justice-involved mothers.

What is Known About Reproductive Autonomy Among Justice-Involved Black Women?: A Scoping Review

“…The reviewed studies revealed the limitation and gaps in research related to giving a reproductive choice among justice-involved Black women. This review mirrors prior literature on limited reproductive autonomy of justice-involved women (Crawford et al, 2022a;Hayes et al, 2020;Sufrin et al, 2015) and, most recently, the Supreme Court's decision over eliminating abortion health care in certain regions of the United States (Dickman et al, 2021). Powerful barriers associated with incarceration sometimes deter or prevent women from accessing emergency contraception, abortion services, or preventive health care of their choice, which can impede their reproductive autonomy (Crawford et al, 2022a;Karlsson & Zeilinski, 2020).…”

“…Powerful barriers associated with incarceration sometimes deter or prevent women from accessing emergency contraception, abortion services, or preventive health care of their choice, which can impede their reproductive autonomy (Crawford et al, 2022a; Karlsson & Zeilinski, 2020). Forcing women to continue with unplanned or unwanted pregnancies often result in these women having to engage in sex work or selling illicit substances to financially support themselves and their babies, further inducing trauma, violence, and instances of rearrest, thus further limiting reproductive autonomy (Crawford et al, 2022a; Karlsson & Zeilinski, 2020).…”

Applying a Reproductive Justice Lens to Enhance Research Engagement Among Systematically Underrepresented Childbearing Women

“…Consistent with the RJ tenets, outcomes from our research indicate the need for multilevel, innovative strategies focused on respectfully and inclusively engaging participants and community partners, promoting equitable collaboration in local communities, encouraging the autonomous right to self-determination, and mitigating power imbalances. Others who successfully used the RJ framework to guide research affirmed our strategies (Crawford, 2021; Crawford, McGlothen-Bell, & Cleveland, 2022; Crawford, McGlothen-Bell, Recto, et al, 2022; Julian et al, 2021; Norwood et al, 2022; Shlafer et al, 2019). Julian et al (2021) and Norwood et al (2022) assert that using RJ to guide research—specifically through participatory approaches—creates an opportunity to empower the community as experts in their lived experience.…”

“…Responsible and timely dissemination of results indicates transparency and accountability and creates an environment of co-learning between academia, the public, and those with lived experience (Mosavel et al, 2019). Therefore, in the year after data analysis, findings were disseminated to community partners, data collection sites, and participants who provided consent for follow-up contact at the study conclusion, and discussions regarding the meaning of the study findings and future implications were conducted (Crawford, McGlothen-Bell, & Cleveland, 2022; Crawford, McGlothen-Bell, Recto, et al, 2022).…”

“…Underrepresented women encounter multiple barriers that prohibit research engagement (beginning with recruitment through study completion), including a lack of access to healthcare services or research recruitment opportunities. These barriers are often uniquely rooted in fear of legal implications, such as when a pregnant or parenting woman uses substances or is incarcerated (Biondi et al, 2020; Crawford, McGlothen-Bell, Recto, et al, 2022; Recto et al, 2020). Accordingly, scientists may struggle with gaining the access needed to engage, recruit, and retain members of these unique groups of underrepresented populations, or consider total exclusion, further marginalizing this population and systematically ensuring their unique needs go unheard (Erves et al, 2017).…”