Understanding Reproductive Coercion in Cults and Destructive Group Settings

This quantitative study 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. Unlike previous anecdotal accounts from former members, this research systematically investigates how reproductive coercion manifests within destructive group settings, thereby addressing a long-standing gap in the literature. Ninety-nine participants were recruited through a targeted online sampling of self-identified former cult members. Participants were at least 18 years old, identified as female during their time with the group, and experienced a lack of control over their reproductive choices during that period. They completed an online questionnaire that explored their identity, reproductive autonomy, and psychological abuse experienced while in a destructive group setting. In contrast to prior research on relationship control, which found male partners to be the primary source of reproductive interference, this study demonstrated that the group’s ideology exerted the most influence on reproductive decision-making. Results also suggest that individuals born and raised in cultic groups experience reproductive coercion differently than first-generation members. This study provides insight into how cults can disturbingly control even the most personal issues in individuals’ lives and can serve as a powerful means of coercive control.