The Value of Women’s Lives: How Abortion Bans Escalate Domestic Violence – Literary Hub

Report on the Impact of Restrictive Abortion Legislation on Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: An Analysis of Compounded Risks

This report analyzes the intersection of restrictive abortion legislation, intimate partner violence (IPV), and maternal mortality in the United States. It examines how these factors create compounded risks for women and pregnant individuals, thereby undermining progress toward key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

SDG 5: Gender Equality and the Escalation of Gender-Based Violence

Restrictive abortion laws exacerbate conditions of gender-based violence by limiting the autonomy of individuals in abusive situations and trapping them in dangerous circumstances. This directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 5, which aims to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls.

Intimate Partner Homicide and Reproductive Coercion

• Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant people in the U.S., most often perpetrated by an intimate partner.
• Case data from 2023 in Texas shows an instance where a man murdered his partner after she traveled out-of-state for an abortion, following a documented history of assault.
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline reported that calls involving reproductive coercion doubled in the year following the Dobbs decision.
• A study conducted between 2014 and 2020 estimated that Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws were associated with 24 IPV-related homicides of women and girls of reproductive age.

Systemic Entrapment of Victims

Abortion bans force individuals to remain in violent relationships, increasing their long-term risk. This is a direct failure to achieve SDG 5.2 (Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls).

1. Increased Vulnerability: The necessity of out-of-state travel for abortion care can make it more difficult for a victim to conceal their actions from an abuser, heightening their vulnerability, as seen in the 2023 Texas homicide.
2. Long-Term Danger: The Turnaway Study demonstrated that individuals denied a wanted abortion are at a significantly greater risk of long-term domestic violence, often remaining tied to their abusers for extended periods.
3. Control and Surveillance: Organizers from the Roe Fund in Oklahoma, a state with the nation’s highest domestic violence rate, report that many callers are under complete financial, physical, and digital surveillance by their abusers, making access to care nearly impossible.

SDG 3: Undermining Good Health and Well-being

The implementation of abortion bans has been directly linked to a significant increase in maternal mortality and morbidity, representing a severe regression from the targets of SDG 3, which include reducing the global maternal mortality ratio and ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services.

Increased Maternal Mortality Rates

• In Texas, maternal deaths increased by 56% between 2019 and 2022, a period following the implementation of S.B. 8, compared to an 11% increase nationwide.
• A 2017 report from the Center for Reproductive Rights showed that states with more abortion restrictions already had higher maternal mortality rates.
• Racial disparities are stark: Black pregnant people are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes. In 2024, it was reported that 57% of Black women of reproductive age live in states with abortion bans or significant restrictions.

Case Studies of Preventable Deaths Due to Delayed Care

Multiple documented cases illustrate how fear of legal reprisal and confusion over laws lead to fatal delays in providing essential medical care, a direct failure of health systems to protect life as mandated by SDG 3.

1. Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller (Georgia, 2022): Both women died from sepsis following complications from medication abortions. One hospital waited 20 hours to provide an emergency procedure, while the other woman was too afraid of criminalization to seek hospital care.
2. Josseli Barnica and Nevaeh Crain (Texas, 2021): Both died of sepsis after being denied or delayed timely emergency abortion care during miscarriages. Doctors waited 40 hours for the fetus’s heartbeat to stop in Barnica’s case.
3. Porsha Ngumezi (Texas, 2023): A mother of two died after a hospital declined to perform an emergency abortion to stop her hemorrhaging during a miscarriage.

Mental Health and Suicide Risk

The denial of abortion care is linked to adverse mental health outcomes, including an increased risk of suicide. A 2022 University of Pennsylvania study identified this link, and doctors in Ohio filed an affidavit referencing three women who threatened suicide after being denied abortions. This highlights a failure to address mental health and well-being under SDG 3.4.

SDG 16: Failure of Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

The legal and institutional frameworks in states with abortion bans demonstrate a failure to provide justice, ensure public access to information, and maintain accountable institutions, as called for in SDG 16.

Legislative and Judicial Actions Increasing Risk

• The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which removed federal abortion protections, was issued around the same time as New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, which expanded gun rights. This juxtaposition of rulings simultaneously limited reproductive autonomy and increased access to firearms for potential abusers.
• In Texas, the number of women shot and killed by an abuser nearly doubled between 2018 and 2022.

Suppression of Data and Institutional Breakdown

State institutions have actively worked to conceal the public health consequences of abortion bans, undermining the principles of transparency and accountability central to SDG 16.

1. Georgia (2024): The state’s maternal mortality committee was disbanded after members shared data with the media revealing abortion ban-induced deaths.
2. Texas (2024): The state’s maternal mortality committee announced it would not analyze data from 2022-2023, the first years after the state’s sweeping ban took effect. Furthermore, a new appointee to the committee, Dr. Ingrid Skop, has a public record of minimizing the health risks of pregnancy for child rape victims.
3. Idaho (2023): The state temporarily ended its maternal mortality review committee. Its criminal abortion ban has led to an exodus of OB-GYNs, forcing the closure of hospital labor and delivery departments and degrading the state’s healthcare infrastructure.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The article extensively discusses health outcomes, focusing on maternal mortality and the denial of essential healthcare. It highlights how abortion bans lead to preventable deaths from pregnancy complications (like sepsis and hemorrhaging) and untreated miscarriages, directly impacting the health and well-being of women. The text states, “maternal deaths in Texas increased by 56% between 2019 and 2022” and describes multiple cases where women died after being denied timely emergency abortion procedures.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • This goal is central to the article, which frames abortion bans as a form of “gender-based violence.” The text links these laws to an escalation in intimate partner violence, reproductive coercion, and homicide against women. It argues that denying women autonomy over their reproductive health perpetuates gender inequality and exposes them to extreme danger, stating, “Abortion bans are gender-based violence.”

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The article points out the disproportionate impact of abortion bans on marginalized communities, thereby addressing the goal of reducing inequalities. It specifies that “Communities of color suffer from significantly higher maternal mortality than white communities,” that “Black pregnant people are three to four times more likely to die,” and that “57% of Black women and pregnant-capable people ages 15 to 49 live in states with bans or significant threats to abortion access.” It also mentions the specific vulnerabilities of immigrants and people in poverty.

4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • The article connects the issues to justice and institutional failures. It discusses how legal changes, such as the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision and the simultaneous expansion of gun access, create a violent environment. It also highlights the failure of institutions to protect citizens, citing how states like Georgia and Texas have disbanded or suppressed the work of maternal mortality review committees to “conceal” the deadly impact of their laws. The article states, “Homicide, mostly by an intimate partner, is the leading cause of death for pregnant people in the U.S.,” pointing to a failure to reduce violence and provide justice.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Targets under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.1: By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio. The article directly addresses this target by reporting on the dramatic increase in maternal mortality rates in states with abortion bans. It provides specific data, such as the 56% increase in Texas, and notes that “states with more restrictions on abortion had higher maternal mortality rates.”
   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services. The entire article is about the denial of this access. It details how abortion bans prevent women from receiving essential healthcare, leading to death, increased danger from abusers, and forced continuation of pregnancy. The closure of hospital labor and delivery departments in Idaho is a direct example of reduced access to care.

2. Targets under SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article argues that abortion bans are discriminatory laws that devalue women’s lives, as one expert quoted says, “We’re seeing a cultural shift in what the value of women’s lives is.”
   • Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres. The article is replete with examples of this violence, from intimate partner homicide (“70 women every month are shot and killed by an intimate partner”) to reproductive coercion (calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline involving such acts “doubled”).
   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. The article demonstrates a systematic regression on this target, detailing how the overturning of Roe v. Wade and subsequent state-level bans have stripped women of their reproductive rights and access to care, forcing them to travel out of state or resort to unsafe options.

3. Targets under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The article identifies abortion bans as discriminatory laws that create profoundly unequal outcomes. It highlights the racial disparity, noting that “Black women experience domestic violence at a higher rate… and are two-and-a-half times more likely to die at the hands of their abusers.”

4. Targets under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

   • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The article focuses on the failure to achieve this target, stating that “Homicide, mostly by an intimate partner, is the leading cause of death for pregnant people in the U.S.” and linking abortion bans to an increase in these homicides.
   • Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The article shows how the legal system is failing victims. Women fear seeking medical help for abortion complications because they “thought about not going to jail.” Furthermore, the simultaneous striking down of gun restrictions makes it easier for abusers to obtain weapons, undermining justice and safety for victims.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Quantitative Indicators:

  • Maternal Mortality Rate: The article provides specific statistics, such as the “56% increase” in maternal deaths in Texas between 2019 and 2022 and the fact that Black pregnant people are “three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy and birth-related causes.”
  • Rate of Homicide by Intimate Partner: The article cites that “70 women every month are shot and killed by an intimate partner” and that in Texas, “72 women were killed by their intimate partners when they were pregnant or within one year postpartum between 2017 and 2023.”
  • Prevalence of Domestic and Reproductive Violence: The article notes that Oklahoma has the “highest domestic violence rate in the nation” and that calls to the National Domestic Violence Hotline involving “reproductive coercion doubled” after the Dobbs decision.
  • Disproportionate Impact on Specific Groups: The article indicates that “57% of Black women and pregnant-capable people ages 15 to 49 live in states with bans or significant threats to abortion access.”

• Qualitative Indicators:

  • Existence of Restrictive Laws: The presence of abortion bans (e.g., Texas S.B. 8) and TRAP laws serves as a direct indicator of restricted access to healthcare and reproductive rights.
  • Suppression of Data: The actions of states like Georgia and Texas to disband or hinder their maternal mortality review committees is a qualitative indicator of institutional failure and lack of transparency.
  • Reduced Access to Medical Services: The closure of hospital labor and delivery departments in Idaho due to an “exodus of OB-GYNs” is a clear indicator of a deteriorating healthcare system.
  • Fear of Criminalization: The testimony of women who fear going to the hospital or reporting complications because they could “go to prison” is an indicator of a breakdown in trust between citizens and the healthcare and justice systems.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: lithub.com