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

At six months pregnant, H decided enough was enough. She had endured years of abuse from her husband and had recently discovered he was also physically violent towards her child. She contacted an attorney to help her get a divorce.

But she was stopped short. Her lawyer told her that she could not finalize a divorce in Missouri because she was pregnant. “I just absolutely felt defeated,” she said. H returned to the house she shared with her abuser, sleeping in her child’s room on the floor and continuing to face violence. On the night before she gave birth, she slept in the most secure room in the house: on the tile floor in the basement, with the family’s dogs.

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.

  • Socsa@sh.itjust.works
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    9 months ago

    What the actual fuck is wrong with these people? They aren’t even trying to hide the endgame here.

    I guess it’s time for blue states to start negating residency requirements for divorce. Just another step towards balkanization.

    • Fat Tony@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      What even is the endgame here though?

      So I get conservatives want many babies but without providing any care or (especially) pay, perfectly fuels their pockets this way. But how does this work to their advantage? You just get more abuse this way. How the fuck does that help in their baby factoring scheme?

      • Jimmyeatsausage@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Broken homes feed into the prison-industrial complex, the only remaining form of slavery currently allowed in our country? It’s not just about the babies. You need to make sure they end up poor, desperate, and too broken to hope for better as adults.

      • unreasonabro@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        the endgame is when they start saying “well I didn’t think they were gonna do that” and acting all innocent as their fascist rhetoric turns the country into a fascist hellhole thanks to their violent dipshittery

      • Cosmicomical@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Seriously? The endgame is clear. Reduce access to education, force people to have kids that will be born in that environment and raise an ignorant neglected bigoted class that is easily controlled and manipulated.

      • kent_eh@lemmy.ca
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        9 months ago

        What even is the endgame here though?

        Control. Power. Compelled obedience.

      • BradleyUffner@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        What even is the endgame here though?

        Suffering. Suffering is the endgame. They get off by causing those they feel are lesser to suffer as much as they can.

        • Zink
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          9 months ago

          Life is a journey, not a destination. <3

          /s