Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Relationship Between Reproductive Coercion, Psychologically Abusive Environments, and the Extent of Group Identity in a Sample of Those Who Have Left Cultic Groups - Ashlen Hilliard
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Disclaimer: This session was delivered for the 2023 ICSA Conference. The speaker of this session does not speak on behalf of ICSA as an organization.
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Abstract: Ashlen Hilliard (she/her) will present her research conducted as part of the MSc Psychology of Coercive Control Program. Reproductive coercion interferes with an individual's rights and freedoms related to reproductive health decisions and decision-making to maintain power and control over the individual and prevent autonomy (Grace & Anderson, 2018). The accounts of those in cultic groups who experience a lack of reproductive autonomy are vital when reviewing existing definitions surrounding reproductive coercion. Existing understandings in the literature on reproductive coercion highlight that this particular form of coercion may be perpetrated by current or former intimate relationships, parents, or extended familial relationships (Grace & Anderson, 2018). However, in the context of those in cultic groups, the source of reproductive coercion may extend beyond an intimate relationship or family member. Potential sources of influence that may disrupt reproductive autonomy in cultic groups may include but are not limited to, the presence of a cult leader, cultural factors, or group ideological beliefs. Ashlen’s research is the first exploratory analysis of the complex experiences of individuals who have experienced reproductive coercion while under the influence of a cultic or destructive group setting. Her research fills an identifiable gap in the literature by specifically studying how reproductive coercion manifests in destructive group settings, which has only been anecdotally alluded to from survivor accounts.
The Relationship Between Reproductive Coercion, Psychologically Abusive Environments, and the Extent of Group Identity in a Sample of Those Who Have Left Cultic Groups - Ashlen Hilliard
-
Disclaimer: This session was delivered for the 2023 ICSA Conference. The speaker of this session does not speak on behalf of ICSA as an organization.
-
Abstract: Ashlen Hilliard (she/her) will present her research conducted as part of the MSc Psychology of Coercive Control Program. Reproductive coercion interferes with an individual's rights and freedoms related to reproductive health decisions and decision-making to maintain power and control over the individual and prevent autonomy (Grace & Anderson, 2018). The accounts of those in cultic groups who experience a lack of reproductive autonomy are vital when reviewing existing definitions surrounding reproductive coercion. Existing understandings in the literature on reproductive coercion highlight that this particular form of coercion may be perpetrated by current or former intimate relationships, parents, or extended familial relationships (Grace & Anderson, 2018). However, in the context of those in cultic groups, the source of reproductive coercion may extend beyond an intimate relationship or family member. Potential sources of influence that may disrupt reproductive autonomy in cultic groups may include but are not limited to, the presence of a cult leader, cultural factors, or group ideological beliefs. Ashlen’s research is the first exploratory analysis of the complex experiences of individuals who have experienced reproductive coercion while under the influence of a cultic or destructive group setting. Her research fills an identifiable gap in the literature by specifically studying how reproductive coercion manifests in destructive group settings, which has only been anecdotally alluded to from survivor accounts.
