Reproductive coercion is the deception, lying, or deceit by one sexual partner of the other regarding the partners’ agreed birth control and sexually-transmitted-disease-protection practices. Reproductive coercion can take many forms, and may be perpetrated by women or men. For example, one partner may falsely represent to the other partner the use or continued use of birth control, or otherwise sabotage the partners’ agreed birth control practices. Although this behavior may result in nonconsensual sexual contact, the law generally does not recognize rape or fraud charges based on such behavior—due in part to the difficulty in proving such matters. And the allegation or proof of such behavior will not change a parent’s child support obligations.
In Texas, reproductive coercion is not explicitly recognized as a criminal offense under state law. While it involves unethical behavior, such as one partner lying about using birth control or sabotaging contraceptive methods, it does not fit neatly into existing legal categories like rape or fraud due to the challenges in proving intent and deception in personal relationships. Furthermore, even if reproductive coercion could be proven, it would not affect a parent's obligation to pay child support. Child support in Texas is determined based on the best interests of the child, and the circumstances of conception generally do not play a role in these determinations. Therefore, while reproductive coercion is a serious issue with significant personal and ethical implications, it is not directly addressed by specific statutes in Texas law regarding sexual offenses or fraud, nor does it impact child support obligations.
