Laura Tarzia1,2, Molly Wellington1, Jennifer Marino3, Kelsey Hegarty1,2. 1. Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, Victoria. 2. Centre for Family Violence Prevention, The Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria. 3. Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne and the Royal Women's Hospital, Victoria.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Reproductive abuse is defined as a deliberate attempt to control or interfere with a woman's reproductive choices. It is associated with a range of negative health outcomes and presents a hidden challenge for health practitioners. There is a dearth of research on reproductive abuse, particularly qualitative research. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how health practitioners in a large Australian public hospital identify and respond to reproductive abuse. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with n=17 health practitioners working across multiple disciplines within a large metropolitan public hospital in Victoria. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Three themes were developed: Figuring out that something is wrong; Creating a safe space to work out what she wants; and Everyone needs to do their part. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners relied on intuition developed through experience to identify reproductive abuse. Once identified, most practitioners described a woman-led response promoting safety; however, there were inconsistencies in how this was enacted across different professions. Lack of clarity around the level of response required was also a barrier. Implications for public health: Our findings highlight the pressing need for evidence-based guidelines for health practitioners and a 'best practice' model specific to reproductive abuse.
OBJECTIVE: Reproductive abuse is defined as a deliberate attempt to control or interfere with a woman's reproductive choices. It is associated with a range of negative health outcomes and presents a hidden challenge for health practitioners. There is a dearth of research on reproductive abuse, particularly qualitative research. This study aims to address this gap by exploring how health practitioners in a large Australian public hospital identify and respond to reproductive abuse. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with n=17 health practitioners working across multiple disciplines within a large metropolitan public hospital in Victoria. Data were analysed thematically. RESULTS: Three themes were developed: Figuring out that something is wrong; Creating a safe space to work out what she wants; and Everyone needs to do their part. CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners relied on intuition developed through experience to identify reproductive abuse. Once identified, most practitioners described a woman-led response promoting safety; however, there were inconsistencies in how this was enacted across different professions. Lack of clarity around the level of response required was also a barrier. Implications for public health: Our findings highlight the pressing need for evidence-based guidelines for health practitioners and a 'best practice' model specific to reproductive abuse.