Socially inappropriate motherhood: Cross-cultural approaches to sexual violence related pregnancies (SVRP)

Abstract

Motherhood and childbearing are culturally prestigious, a consequence related to gender roles, life milestones, social function, and population growth. However, external forces such as the community and the state have often overlooked power over the construction of socially acceptable forms of reproduction. Sexual violence-related pregnancies (SVRP) provide unique insight into social constructions of what is deemed as acceptable forms of pregnancy and motherhood, and understandings of the children—sometimes invoked as “monster babies” (Muller, 2016)—that come from these circumstances. This review seeks to examine the relationship between state and community understandings of appropriate motherhood, sexual violence, and gendered perceptions of “good” or socially supported motherhood. SVRP represents an intersection between stigmatization, social support, and criminality in conversations of reproductive health and decision-making, which will be demonstrated using abortion laws as a cross-cultural lens through which to understand the policing of SVRP comparatively between the United States, Australia, Nicaragua, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Furthermore, the contentious nature of abortion debates and legislation will be utilized as a lens to understand which forms of motherhood and childbearing can be considered state and community sanctioned and which are unsupported. This review will include discussions of difficult topics such as sexualized and gender-based violence, abortion, unwanted pregnancies, and reproductive coercion which may be distressing to readers.