For Women in Abusive Relationships, Online Birth Control Providers Offer a Lifeline
By design, telemedicine offers flexible appointment schedules, low-cost care, and the ability to discreetly access health care
When Sheila first got married, she was a serious Catholic who believed using contraception was a sin. But after seven years of marriage, three kids, and giving up her beliefs to become an atheist, birth control began to seem much more appealing. (Sheila asked that her last name not be used due to privacy concerns.)
Sheila’s husband, though, remained a devout Catholic and was still firmly against the use of birth control. Though he didn’t expressly forbid Sheila from using it — “He said it was my body and he couldn’t stop me,” Sheila says — it was clear that contraception would put a serious strain on their marriage, with Sheila’s husband threatening to deny her sex if she used birth control against his wishes.
With no money of her own and no access to childcare, Sheila felt stuck. She lived in rural Virginia, where getting to a family planning clinic was already difficult. The nearest Planned Parenthood was a full two hours away. On top of the travel, she’d have to figure out how to get a babysitter, and how to explain the cost of her…
