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 Wisconsin, reproductive coercion is not explicitly recognized as a distinct criminal offense under state statutes. However, certain aspects of reproductive coercion could potentially be addressed under existing laws related to sexual assault or fraud, although these applications are not straightforward and can be challenging to prosecute. For instance, nonconsensual sexual contact may fall under sexual assault statutes, but proving that reproductive coercion equates to nonconsent can be difficult. Similarly, while deception or lying about birth control might be considered a form of fraud, it is not typically prosecuted as such in the context of sexual relationships. Furthermore, regardless of any allegations or proof of reproductive coercion, it does not affect a parent's child support obligations. Child support is determined based on the best interests of the child and parental responsibilities, and is not contingent upon the circumstances of conception.