Horrifying: If A Woman Is Denied An Abortion, She's More At Risk For Domestic Abuse

Turns out, denying a woman the right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy could pave the way for some serious consequences (besides, you know, taking away her legally-given right, and forcing her to bear a child against her will.) A new study from the University of California, San Francisco has revealed that women who have been denied an abortion are more likely to be victims of domestic abuse, and are less likely to to be able to escape an abusive relationship.

Violence in relationships is already a common occurrence among women receiving abortions: Up to 22 percent of these females shared reports of assault in their relationships with researchers. For a woman in an abusive relationship who was also able to receive an abortion, her chance of escaping was also greater. Keep in mind, too, that if a woman is forced to carry her pregnancy to term alongside her abusive partner, that child will be born into a home wrought with emotional and physical threats.

The timing of this study's findings couldn't be more poignant, as domestic violence and strict abortion regulations have become increasingly more debated. It seems that before both issues were separate, but perhaps they're more closely linked than people thought.

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I'm an Associate Editor at the Business of Fashion, where I edit and write stories about the fashion and beauty industries. Previously, I was the brand editor at Adweek, where I was the lead editor for Adweek's brand and retail coverage. Before my switch to business journalism, I was a writer/reporter at PEOPLE.com, where I wrote news posts, galleries and articles for PEOPLE magazine's website. My work has been published on TheAtlantic.com, ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, PEOPLE.com, GoodHousekeeping.com and in Every Day with Rachael Ray. It has been syndicated by Cosmopolitan.com, TIME.com, TravelandLeisure.com and GoodHousekeeping.com, among other publications. Previously, I've worked at VOGUE.com, ELLE.com, and MarieClaire.com.