Pressure and Persuasion: Young Fijian Women’s Experiences of Sexual and Reproductive Coercion in Romantic Relationships

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a violation of women’s human rights and dramatically increases women’s vulnerability to sexual and reproductive health morbidities. This article examines young iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) women’s experiences of, and responses to, nonphysical forms of coercion in romantic relationships. It draws on ethnographic research with young unmarried women attending university in Suva, Fiji. Young women disclosed experiencing a continuum of coercive behaviors, including verbal pressure, deception, and manipulation by male partners to initiate sexual intercourse, unprotected sex, and unsafe abortions. Findings indicate an urgent need to address IPV within premarital relationships in Fiji to promote young women’s sexual and reproductive health and autonomy.

Premarital relationships and condom use among young people in Suva, Fiji

“…Data were collected between June 2011 and September 2012 in Suva, Fiji. This paper, which is one of several describing findings from the study, 11,25,26 explores the contextual influences on young people's condom use practices in premarital relationships.…”

“…Young women reported that male partners frequently determined whether condoms could be used, and used a range of tactics to coerce women into having sex without a condom, including verbal pressure, subtle manipulation and deception. 11,26 'Even with words there is so much pressure . .…”

Women’s perceptions and experiences of reproductive coercion and abuse: a qualitative evidence synthesis

“…All studies included the perspectives of women, four studies were mixed methods and 29 were qualitative studies. Of the 33 studies, 16 were from USA [ 3 , 29 – 43 ], four from Kenya [ 44 – 47 ], three from Australia [ 48 – 50 ], two from India [ 51 , 52 ], and one each from Brazil [ 53 ], Fiji [ 54 ], Iran [ 55 ], England [ 56 ], Sweden [ 57 ], Mexico [ 58 ], Ecuador [ 59 ] and Canada [ 5 ]. Nine studies specifically explored experiences of low-income women [ 30 , 33 , 36 , 37 , 40 , 41 , 43 , 51 , 52 ].…”

“…Reproductive coercion and abuse was the primary phenomena of interest in 13 studies [ 3 , 5 , 29 , 40 – 42 , 44 , 47 , 48 , 50 , 54 , 58 ]. Reproductive coercion and abuse was a secondary phenomena of interest in the other studies, which focused on women’s experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV) particularly sexual violence [ 31 , 53 , 57 ], the effects of abuse or IPV on women’s reproduction [ 32 – 35 , 39 , 43 , 45 , 46 , 51 , 55 , 56 ], factors affecting women’s pregnancy intentions [ 30 , 36 , 49 , 52 ], barriers to contraception use [ 37 ] and son preferences [ 38 ].…”

“…Women were pressured or coerced to terminate a wanted pregnancy, or were subject to physical violence with the intent of ending the pregnancy. Experiencing coerced terminations was sometimes the critical turning point for women to recognise the extent of the abuse within the relationship (high confidence) [ 3 , 5 , 32 – 35 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 50 , 52 – 54 , 56 ]. This included threats of violence including threats to kill the woman and the baby if she did not terminate the pregnancy [ 34 ], and actual use of violence to end the pregnancy [ 3 , 33 , 34 , 38 , 42 , 43 , 50 ], with women reporting being thrown down the stairs or their partners punching or ‘kicking the baby out’ of the woman [ 3 , 33 , 34 , 42 ].…”