More than half of women in Georgia report experiencing some form of intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime. Women experiencing IPV are not only at greater risk of unintended pregnancy, but those who do become pregnant often face more frequent and severe abuse, increasing their risk of miscarriage. Despite clear evidence of its impact on women’s reproductive health and access to abortion, consideration of IPV is largely absent from policy discussions concerning abortion restrictions and bans.
This Note explores the outsized impact that Georgia’s Living Infants Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act has on women experiencing IPV—effectively functioning as a near complete abortion prohibition for those already facing heightened barriers erected by abusive partners. It critiques Georgia’s current legal understanding of rape and consent in the context of coercive relationships and proposes targeted reforms as incremental steps toward addressing the unique harms that the LIFE Act inflicts on women experiencing IPV.