Increased Homicide Rates Among Females Linked to Strict Abortion Regulations According to Research Findings
Turns out, the tightening of abortion laws ain't just about banning a medical procedure - it's also causing a hike in lethal violence against women. New research published on Monday shining a spotlight on this unsettling reality.
The study, led by scientists from Tulane University in Louisiana, found a link between what they call TRAP laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers laws) and an increased rate of murder among young girls and women at the hands of their intimate partners. With the ongoing wave of stricter abortion laws, fueled by the Supreme Court's dismantling of Roe v. Wade in 2022, this trend is bound to escalate, the authors argue.
Remember their previous work? They discovered that pregnant women or recently pregnant women are more likely to be murdered than women of similar reproductive age. Homicide remains the leading cause of maternal death, though their study only considers the most current data (the trend has likely been prevalent for decades).
These murders are most commonly perpetrated by people in the victim's life, and those committed during pregnancy often have a connection to domestic violence. Partners, usually men, confronted with an unwanted pregnancy might respond to the situation with violence or escalate their violence towards the pregnant woman.
The rapid rise of TRAP laws, which target the regulation of abortion providers, has prompted researchers to examine how these laws might influence rates of these murders.
Analyzing nationwide death data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as data on TRAP laws compiled by the Guttmacher Institute between 2014 to 2020, the team found that states with such laws had a modest but noticeable connection to an increase in homicides related to intimate partner violence. Across all states during those years, they estimated that TRAP laws led to an additional two dozen murders of young girls and women tied to partner violence.
The study authors also found indications of higher homicide rates among women in general in states with more restrictive reproductive policies, suggesting that these laws fuel violence in other ways. For instance, underage pregnant girls in these states might be more likely to be killed by their families as well as their partners.
"Policies restricting women’s access to abortion care are associated with violent consequences for this population," the researchers wrote in their paper, published in Health Affairs.
Various studies have suggested that restrictive abortion laws have negative impacts on the women most affected by them. For instance, researchers have linked such laws to higher rates of suicide among young women or the worsening of health care provided by obstetrician-gynecologists.
Given the enactment of even more restrictive abortion laws in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, the researchers expect that inequality and violence against women will persist and worsen without aggressive measures to protect reproductive rights.
"Addressing this critical issue demands the involvement and accountability of policymakers responsible for repealing laws that limit women's control over their own bodies – especially when doing so may prevent such violent deaths," they wrote.
- The study published by Tulane University researchers links TRAP laws to an increased rate of murders of young girls and women by their intimate partners.
- Homicide remains the leading cause of maternal death, and the study suggests that TRAP laws might fuel this violence, particularly among underage pregnant girls.
- The study published in Health Affairs argues that restrictive abortion laws, such as TRAP laws, have violent consequences for women and contribute to an increase in homicides related to intimate partner violence.
- Given the ongoing wave of stricter abortion laws, including those enacted following the Supreme Court's dismantling of Roe v. Wade in 2022, the researchers expect inequality and violence against women to persist and worsen without aggressive measures to protect reproductive rights.
