Intersection of reproductive coercion and intimate partner violence: cross-sectional influences on women's contraceptive use in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Kenya

ObjectivesAmong nationally representative cross-sections of women in need of contraception from Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and Kenya, we aimed to: (1) examine the intersection of past-year physical/sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), emotional IPV and reproductive coercion (RC) and (2) assess the impact of physical/sexual IPV, emotional IPV and RC on women's contraceptive use outcomes, including current contraceptive use, method type and covert use.DesignThe present analysis uses cross-sectional female data collected in Burkina Faso (December 2020-March 2021), Cote d'Ivoire (October-November 2021) and Kenya (November-December 2020).SettingsBurkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire and KenyaParticipantsAnalytical samples were restricted to partnered women with contraceptive need who completed a violence module (Burkina Faso n=1863; Cote d'Ivoire n=1105; Kenya n=3390).Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe exposures of interest-past-year emotional IPV, physical/sexual IPV and RC-were assessed using abridged versions of the Revised Conflict and Tactics Scale-2 and Reproductive Coercion Scale, respectively. Outcomes of interest included current contraceptive use, contraceptive method type (female controlled vs male compliant), and covert contraceptive use, and used standard assessments.ResultsAcross sites, 6.4% (Cote d'Ivoire) to 7.8% (Kenya) of women in need of contraception experienced RC; approximately one-third to one-half of women experiencing RC reported no other violence forms (31.7% in Burkina Faso to 45.8% in Cote d'Ivoire), whereas physical/sexual IPV largely occurred with emotional IPV. In multivariable models, RC was consistently associated with covert use (Burkina Faso: aOR 2.84 (95% CI 1.21 to 6.64); Cote d'Ivoire: aOR 4.45 (95% CI 1.76 to 11.25); Kenya: aOR 5.77 (95% CI 3.51 to 9.46)). Some IPV in some settings was also associated with covert use (emotional IPV, Burkina Faso: aOR 2.99 (95% CI 1.56 to 5.74); physical/sexual, Kenya: aOR 2.35 (95% CI 1.33 to 4.17)).ConclusionsAcross settings, covert use is a critical strategy for women experiencing RC. Country policies must recognise RC as a unique form of violence with profound implications for women's reproductive health.