The Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) endorses the Reproductive Coercion Prevention and Protection Act of 2025, which will legally define reproductive coercion and provide legal protections for survivors. The bill was introduced on December 18th, 2025.
Reproductive coercion is when one person pressures, manipulates, threatens, forces, or controls another person’s reproductive decisions and actions. This can include removing a condom during intercourse, throwing away birth control, threatening violence if the victim doesn’t get pregnant, forcing someone to get an abortion, or preventing someone from getting an abortion. Reproductive coercion is often perpetrated by a romantic or sexual partner, a family member, or a friend.
Reproductive coercion has devastating impacts. Victims face the immense emotional trauma of having their reproductive autonomy violated. Often, they also face physical harm, which can have lifelong consequences. Currently, federal law does not explicitly recognize reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence. Thus, victims are unable to seek justice in court for the tremendous harm they faced. Further, the lack of accountability increases the normalization of reproductive coercion and emboldens perpetrators.
The Reproductive Coercion Prevention and Protection Act will provide clear and enforceable legal protections to survivors of coercive control and reproductive abuse, giving them meaningful tools to protect their reproductive freedom and safety. This bill acknowledges the impact of reproductive coercion and amends the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to explicitly define reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence. Additionally, it establishes a civil right of action that would allow survivors to seek justice in court. Lastly, it includes language clarifying that this legislation does not override stronger state laws, and instead acts as a federal floor to ensure baseline protections for survivors nationwide.
“Reproductive coercion is often sexual violence. It’s about power, control, and denying the victim autonomy over their own body,” says Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of the SVPA. “The Reproductive Coercion Prevention and Protection Act is a critical step toward recognizing and addressing this often-invisible form of abuse. By naming reproductive coercion in federal law, we give survivors the tools and justice they have long been denied.”
Recognizing reproductive coercion as a form of domestic violence is long overdue. Survivors deserve to fight back against their abusers, seek justice, and reclaim their autonomy. The SVPA strongly urges Congress to pass the Reproductive Coercion Prevention and Protection Act to explicitly define reproductive coercion in federal law and create a pathway for civil justice.
