A new study by University of Wisconsin–Madison researchers finds that state abortion restrictions enacted after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision are linked to higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV).
Published in the Journal of Health Economics, the analysis estimates that near-total abortion bans and increased travel distance to care contributed to about 9,000 additional incidents of intimate partner violence among women in affected states.
The study was conducted by UW Collaborative for Reproductive Equity (CORE) investigators and La Follette School of Public Affairs faculty members Christine Durrance, Barbara Wolfe, and Yang Wang, with collaborators Dhaval Dave of Bentley University and Bilge Erten of Northeastern University.
A growing threat: Intimate partner violence is a persistent public health crisis with long-lasting physical, emotional, and economic consequences for victims and their families. The Dobbs decision led to widespread state-level abortion restrictions, nationwide clinic closures, and sharply reduced access to care. These restrictions can heighten financial strain, health-related stress, and reproductive coercion, all of which are known to raise the risk of intimate partner violence.
How the study was conducted: Researchers analyzed state-level abortion policies, changes in driving distance to the nearest abortion provider before and after Dobbs, and intimate partner violence incident, arrest, and injury rates, focusing on female victims ages 15-44. Data spanned 2017-2023 and included victims’ racial/ethnic characteristics and area socioeconomic demographics.
The study estimates that near-total abortion bans and increased travel distance to care contributed to about 9,000 additional incidents of intimate partner violence among women in affected states.
Key findings: The study shows that when people had to travel significantly farther for abortion care, intimate partner violence rates rose substantially.
- Following Dobbs, the national average travel distance for abortion care nearly doubled, rising from 66 to 124 miles.
- IPV rates rose by 7-10% in states with greater travel distances to abortion
- IPV-related injuries increased by 6-7%, and IPV-related arrests rose by 4-5% as driving distances grew.
- Intimate partner violence assault, which accounts for the majority of police-reported IPV, showed the largest percentage increases.
Disproportionate impacts: The study findings highlight that abortion restrictions — and the associated increases in intimate partner violence — disproportionately affect marginalized populations. People with lower incomes and less education were more likely to face longer travel distances to abortion care and higher rates of intimate partner violence. These impacts worsen existing health disparities.
Broader economic burden: Rising intimate partner violence also has financial consequences for survivors and society. The study estimates that in states where abortion access declined and the distance to care increased, intimate partner violence-related social costs rose by $1.2-$1.9 billion. These costs stem largely from health care expenses, lost productivity, and reduced lifetime earnings.
The bottom line: Intimate partner violence is a critical national public health threat. The researchers conclude that policies that limit reproductive autonomy, restrict abortion access, and create barriers to care intensify this threat, resulting in more violence, greater health harms, and higher societal costs.
Related CORE research: