The statute, which can lead to reproductive coercion in a state that has banned abortion, has recently gained nationwide attention

Under a Missouri statute that has recently gained nationwide attention, every petitioner for divorce is required to disclose their pregnancy status. In practice, experts say, those who are pregnant are barred from legally dissolving their marriage. “The application [of the law] is an outright ban,” said Danielle Drake, attorney at Parks & Drake. When Drake learned her then husband was having an affair, her own divorce stalled because she was pregnant. Two other states have similar laws: Texas and Arkansas.

  • pelespiritOPMEnglish
    3·
    9 months ago

    If you look into it, it does seem to be the end result that they can’t get divorced, but that wasn’t the intent. What I’m curious about is, why are women having a hard time leaving their husbands even though they haven’t been divorced officially. Are there back up laws preventing them from getting help if they’re just separated? Since Missouri is shitty to many, many people, there’s probably something we don’t know or isn’t being talked about. The woman in the article talks about how she had to go back to her husband without the divorce, why couldn’t she have left? To be clear, I’m not blaming her and it may be a misunderstanding of how abusive relationships work, but it seemed like her quotes were chopped up.