IOWA, USA — If you or someone you know needs help in an abusive relationship,call 1-800-770-1650 or text IOWAHELP to 20121.
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence says pregnancy increases the risk of abuse in violent relationships, adding homicides are the number one cause of death for pregnant women in the U.S.
Advocates say these relationships are about power and control, with abusers stopping at nothing to keep their victim close. One tactic abusers may turn to is reproductive coercion.
"They potentially will sabotage contraception for their partner," said Lindsay Pingel with the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "They could rape their partner, they could coerce someone into becoming pregnant when they don't want to, and then carry that pregnancy against their will."
"We already don't have great abortion access in our state," said KellyMarie Meek with the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault. "When we're talking about survivorsat the coalition, we're gonna support survivors, whatever choice they make. Some survivors choose to parent, some survivors choose adoption, some survivors choose abortion, and we're going to support all of those choices."
Even without new restrictions, advocates say the path survivors have to an abortion is complex.
"Abortion is not affordable for most of the folks that we're working with," said Meek. "It may not be accessible if they have to travel a distance, and arranged childcare for the children that they already have, and all of those things. And so is this devastating? Yes. Worrisome? Absolutely. But also not super new."
Meek says organizations like hers will continue to fight to provide survivors the care they choose.
"So if that means connecting people with abortion funds, if that means using some of our own fundraise dollars, to support those services, helping survivors travel to another area, if that's what they need to do, we're already doing that work and connected with organizations who are doing that work."
Advocates say these restrictions will disproportionately impact women of color, rural Iowans, and low income Iowans.
"Opportunities for survivors to access health care needs, is often limited when we think about access to transportation," said Pingel. "Access to just finding time to connect with a safe person within the healthcare field because, you know, someone is restricting their time away from them. It makes them incredibly vulnerable. It makes them vulnerable to getting timely access to services that they need and makes them vulnerable to more abuse if we keep putting restrictions in front of them."