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 Rhode Island, reproductive coercion is not explicitly recognized as a criminal offense under state law. However, certain aspects of reproductive coercion could potentially be addressed under existing statutes related to sexual assault or domestic violence, depending on the circumstances. For instance, if reproductive coercion involves physical harm or threats, it might fall under domestic violence laws. Despite this, the specific act of deceiving a partner about birth control or sabotaging contraceptive methods is not clearly defined as a criminal act in Rhode Island. Furthermore, the issue of proving such allegations in court can be complex, as it often involves private and consensual activities where evidence may be subjective or difficult to obtain. Regarding parental rights and responsibilities, Rhode Island law maintains that child support obligations are determined based on the best interests of the child and the financial situation of the parents, and these obligations are not affected by allegations of reproductive coercion.