Thousands could be threatened, experts say, because the same groups most impacted by abortion bans — rural, low-income, and women of color — also experience higher rates of domestic violence.
The Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, the case that established a constitutional right to abortion nationwide, could increase the risk of domestic violence against women with unwanted pregnancies, experts warn.
Pregnancy and the postpartum period are vulnerable times for women, research shows, with risk of violence by an intimate partner increasing as the pregnancy develops. Violence against a mother has also been shown to affect infant health and development.