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 Kentucky, reproductive coercion is not explicitly recognized as a distinct criminal offense under state law. However, certain aspects of reproductive coercion may fall under broader categories of criminal behavior, such as sexual assault or domestic violence, depending on the circumstances. For instance, if reproductive coercion involves physical harm or threats, it could potentially be prosecuted under Kentucky's domestic violence statutes. Despite this, the deceptive aspects of reproductive coercion, such as lying about birth control use, are challenging to address legally due to the difficulty in proving intent and deception in intimate relationships. Furthermore, Kentucky law maintains that if a child is conceived, regardless of the circumstances surrounding the conception, both parents have a legal obligation to support the child financially. This means that even if reproductive coercion is alleged or proven, it does not absolve a parent from their child support responsibilities.